Upswell Publishing is thrilled and proud to announce a new acquisition with world rights for a book by Esther Anatolitis to be released in 2027: Who’s Afraid of Australia’s Artists?

Terri-ann White says: 

I was taken with the description of this project and the way that Esther described how it could be prepared and formatted as a book to really animate the voices and opinions of artists, artsworkers, politicians, and others. People with a stake in and the influence to steer a new path in the rather depleted state we are currently mired in. Esther has a tremendously broad and impressive set of correspondents that she’ll interview and provoke, to present a cogent plan of action back to us. I’m so looking forward to a gutsy manuscript landing on my desk!

About the book: 

Australia’s politicians are afraid of artists. It’s not hard to understand why: artists engage our passions, ignite our thinking and activate our voices. They inspire us to be extraordinary. Courageous politicians empower artists, developing sophisticated policy that emboldens their work. Timid politicians clip their wings, undermining their work by feeding it into culture wars that drag us all into mediocrity. 

At the same time, the ways in which artists live and work are constantly co-opted by capitalism—think gig economy and portfolio careers—in ways that normalise precarity for all workers, instead of elevating creativity. All the ways in which artists are diminished have become staunchly Australian clichés: the Cultural Cringe, the Australian Ugliness, the Lucky Country, the tall poppy syndrome. We’re not just mediocre: we’re magnificently mediocre. And while we might expect arts professionals to defend artists and champion their value, too often industry leaders fear the political consequences of doing so. Until the arts sector overcomes its fear of politics, politicians will not overcome their fear of Australia’s artists. 

Having devoted her career to championing creative work, Esther Anatolitis presents a powerful exhortation for meeting the power of artists with the power of active citizenry. This timely book examines artistic practice, arts policy and political sentiment to chart new ways forward. Framed by the voices of Australian artists and politicians captured in rare-access interviews, Who’s Afraid of Australia’s Artists? invites us to overcome fear and mediocrity, courageously joining artists in creating Australia’s future.

Esther says: 

Upswell is renowned across Australia as a publisher of courage and conviction. I’m thrilled to be in the expert hands of Terri-ann White for my next book. It’s one I’ve been thinking about for quite some time. I’ve long been concerned – and frankly, mystified – by the gulf between our phenomenal artistic talent and its relentless undermining: what I call Australia’s magnificent mediocrity. Against the historic impact of written and unwritten arts policies, lazy culture wars, predatory tech platforms and increasing attacks on artists, it’s clear that the leadership it takes to stand up for Australia’s artists is up to all of us.

Upswell will release Who’s Afraid of Australia’s Artists? in late 2027.

Photo of Terri-ann White by Robert Frith from his Isolation Portraits 2020