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Australian Art



Starting point for Australian Art

Starting point contains definitions, facts, figures and overviews

Key online dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks

Dictionary of Australian Artists OnlineThe Dictionary of Australian Artists Online is an open access scholarly reference work.You can search 7290 biographies by over 400 biographers, and watch for 490 new biographies currently in progress.
ArtcyclopediaArtist by nationality including Australian

Key print dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks

Use the catalogue to search for more dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks


Catalogue searching

You can search the Library Catalogue to find books, DVDs, journals and other materials

If you know the exact title in the New catalogue

If you are searching for a topic in the New catalogue

Truncation is generally not needed as entering any version of a word will retrieve many variations.

More information


Databases and journal articles for Australian Art

Use databases to search for journal articles, book chapters, conference papers or research reports

Key databases for Australian Art

Databases Notes Help
Art Bibliographies ModernARTbibliographies Modern provides abstracting and indexing of journal articles, books, essays, exhibition catalogs, dissertations, and exhibition reviews. The database covers the period from Impressionism in the late 19th century up to the most recent works and trends of the late 20th century. Photography is covered from its invention in 1839 to the present.Enter database notesHelp and tips are available from the CSA art Bibliographies Modern search screen and the CSA Quick guide.
Design and Applied Arts IndexIn addition to the periodicals index, contains four directories: periodicals database, education database, organizations database, and museums/archives database Help and tips are available from the CSA Design and Applied Arts Index search screen and the CSA Quick guide.
OzBiogsThis collection of databases provide a range of information about Australian art and artists. The databases comprise: NATSIVAD - biographical data on Australian Aboriginal visual artists; AustArt - Australian Art Journals Index featuring access to articles on Australian art and artists published in journals held by the College of Fine Arts Library at the University of New South WalHelp is very limited
APAFT Australian public affairs full textbased on the journal indexing of the database Australian Public Affairs Information Service (APAIS) providing indexing and selected full text access to Australian literature in business, health, social sciences and humanitiesHelp is available via the Informit Help link

Complete list of Art databases. Also check the multidisciplinary databases as they cover a wide range of academic topics. You can select other subjects from the database subject list


Full text not available?

When the full text is not available, search for the journal title in the Library catalogue to discover if print or online copies are available

Database search tips

For help with searching databases see Connecting and Combining Search Terms or Truncation/Wildcards/Phrase searching: Basic or Online training or Ask the Library


Key internet sites for Australian Art

It is important to critically evaluate all information you find particularly information found on the web.

This is a starting list of internet sites. You may want to do your own searches using search engines

Useful starters

Organisations

  • VisualArts.Net.Au is a gateway to Australian visual arts and craft from the National Association of the Visual Arts (NAVA). Artist website listings, images of work, profiles of artists and case histories of the professional lives of various artists describing career highlights
  • Craft Australia Incorporates the National Register of Craft Artists, featuring professional Australian craft and design practitioners
  • Arts Law Centre of Australia Is a national legal centre. They give advice and information on contracts, copyright, insurance, defamation, business structures, employment and taxation to artists and arts organisations in all sectors of the cultural industry
  • Queensland Arts Council Is part of the nation wide Arts Council of Australia network that was formed in NSW in 1946. QAC Branches provide a forum for expressing the artistic needs of regional communities
  • Australian Copyright Council Is an independent non-profit organisation, to assist people who wish to understand more about copyright and to solve particular problems

South Australian organisations

  • Arts SA Provides leadership in the strategic development of a strong and sustainable arts and cultural industry in South Australia
  • Country Arts SA Oversees the development of the arts throughout country South Australia by increasing access and participation in the arts and by the development of performing and visual arts touring programs for country regions
  • Craftsouth Centre for Contemporary Craft and Design is the major professional body serving the contemporary crafts industry in South Australia. It represents, develops and promotes South Australia's contemporary crafts industry with particular emphasis on the professional practitioner
  • Helpmann Academy Is a partnership of all the tertiary arts training schools in South Australia and is focussed on training young people for professional careers in the arts

Australian Art schools

  • Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) lists the current postal address, the name and title of the academic head, dean or director, and the prime telephone, fax, email and web addresses for the member schools of the Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools.
  • Victorian College of the Arts Faculty of the VCA and Music (VCAM) brings together a wide range of creative disciplines including art, music, dance, theatre, production and film and television,

Australian artists

  • Australian-Art-Gallery.com Aims to create a truely useful Australian Art portal to promote and assist Australian Artists, Australian Galleries and Australian Art in general
  • Australian Women's Art Register An archive and repository of slides, published material and other written sources, both old and new, documenting Australian women artists, their art practice, their images and their writings. A diverse range of media and art disciplines, including craft, design, photography, installation, are represented in the archive, as well as various styles and all eras


For further information about any of these resources please contact the Ask the Library service or ask at the library desk

Coordinated by: EASS Academic Library Services Team