Australia needs a local SXSW as much as we need an Aussie reboot of The Office
Australia doesn’t need to import festival concepts like SXSW or reboot sitcoms like The Office, writes Joan Westenberg. Here’s why.
Mark your calendars, folks. October 18, 2024 is D-Day for Australian comedy. That’s right, we’re getting our very own version of The Office on Prime Video. Lucky number 13 in the franchise’s global conquest. Because if there’s one thing Australia needs, it’s adaptations of decade-old sitcoms.
Some folks are chomping at the bit, eager to see how we’ll butcher — I mean, localise — their beloved series.
Others are understandably scratching their heads, wondering if we’ve somehow exhausted our own comedic well.
Are we really so creatively bankrupt that we need to import and repackage ideas over and over again?
From small screens to VC funds to festivals, we’re becoming experts at xeroxing other countries’ greatest hits. Even Australian VC funds have developed a similar habit: they’re not just importing American ideas, they’re practically smuggling them in their carry-on luggage.
It’s as if we believe innovation can only come wrapped in a stars-and-stripes flag, like we’re determined to turn Australia into the world’s largest karaoke bar, belting out covers instead of writing our own tunes.
Which brings me to SXSW.
Just as we should question the need for an Australian “Office” in a country that has produced award-winning, original, class act gems like Utopia, I have to ask: why do we need our own version of a Texan party?
The reality is, we don’t.
Australia: The unsung festival powerhouse
Let’s set the record straight: Australia doesn’t need to import festival concepts.
In the 2022-23 financial year alone, we hosted a mind-boggling 535 music festivals. That’s not a typo, folks. 535. And we’re not talking about pale imitations of Coachella or Glastonbury. These are uniquely Aussie affairs.
These festivals are our cultural lifeblood. They’re talent incubators, turning today’s garage bands into tomorrow’s ARIA winners. They’re economic powerhouses, pumping life into local communities. And they’re a celebration of Australia’s musical diversity.
Don’t believe me? Let’s talk cold, hard cash. Dr Dave Carter from the University of Tasmania drops this truth bomb: “For every dollar spent on live music, three dollars of benefit is returned to the wider community”.
Cut the tall poppy syndrome: we know how to throw a party.
We know how to host a festival.
Why, then, are we lining up to support some franchise when we could be nurturing our own world-class events?
The challenge of cultural translation
SXSW’s success is deeply rooted in Austin’s unique cultural ecosystem, its position as a tech hub, and its history as a music mecca. Attempting to replicate this in Australia isn’t impossible — but it is entirely missing the point.
Instead of trying to offer the “SXSW of the Southern Hemisphere,” Australia has the opportunity to create something entirely its own, something that reflects the country’s unique cultural landscape, technological innovations, and artistic sensibilities.
The best way to showcase Australian talent and innovation cannot simply be by providing a rented stage for international ideas and logos.
The success of homegrown comedies, the economic powerhouse that is the live music scene, and our vibrant festival culture all point to a thriving creative ecosystem that doesn’t need to rely on imported franchises for sustenance.
The way forward
Instead of pouring resources, energy, time and attention into a second year of SXSW Sydney, imagine if we invested that energy and funding into elevating existing Australian festivals or creating entirely new concepts that showcase our unique cultural identity.
We could focus on events that highlight Indigenous Australian art and music, celebrate our world-class culinary scene, or showcase our innovations in sustainable technology. These are the areas where Australia truly shines on the global stage — not as an imitation of American success.
We don’t need an Australian reboot of The Office, and we sure as hell don’t need a Kath and Kim-ified copy of SXSW.
What we do need is to continue supporting and amplifying authentic Australian voices, creating events and content that reflect our unique cultural landscape.
Perhaps it’s time to ask ourselves: Are we content being a satellite city to Austin, or are we ready to create something uniquely, unmistakably Australian?
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