$14.95

Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci famously observed: “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.” In our politics, our technology, the planet’s very climate, we often find ourselves stuck between the old world and the new. While this liminal space may give us monsters, our hope is that it can also be a breeding ground for great art, for ideas and conversations, for meaningful journalism.

October is time for The Monthly’s annual Culture Issue, and this year’s edition is an absolute bumper audit of creative and imaginative achievement across the country. From Adam Elliot’s newest film to the first Australian on the Booker Prize shortlist in a decade, from architecture to music, this is the best of criticism and profiles, reviews and appreciation from our finest writers.
The centrepiece is the return of The Monthly Awards: we approached 10 of our favourite cultural critics – writers and curators, art makers and art lovers – and asked them a simple question: “What are the two works of art or artistic moments that you’ll most remember from 2024?” Tony Birch, Santilla Chingaipe, Annabel Crabb, Alison Croggon, Andrew Denton, Erik Jensen, Kirsha Kaechele, Michael Nolan, Sebastian Smee and Quentin Sprague have put together an idiosyncratic, deeply considered collection that we’re confident will delight and surprise.

Riffing on the idea of monsters, and the role they play in the culture, Tim Winton has delivered and essay ranging from Mary Shelley to climate catastrophe, seeking the place for our artists and authors to create work out of the nightmares they see.

And, a year on from the Voice to Parliament referendum, our political culture – and in particular the conversation around recognition and representation in our national identity for First Nations people – feels like it has stalled. As part of a special series coming up on 7am, Daniel James visited Alice Springs to understand the reality on the ground beyond tabloid headlines and finger pointing.

All of this plus Cate Kennedy on Charlotte Wood, Toni Jordan on the Toronto International Film Festival, Melanie Cheng, Ellena Savage, Mandy Sayer and so much more.