October is the Monthly Culture Issue: a space for considered reflection on the places where our politics, our art and our society intersect. The centrepiece of the issue is the annual Monthly Awards, where we ask some of our top critical voices – Santilla Chingaipe, Peter Craven, Alison Croggon, Erik Jensen, Chris Johnston, Tara Kenny, Marcia Langton, Michael Nolan, Beejay Silcox and Sebastian Smee – to reflect on the cultural highlights of their year. Each has identified two works – one a new Australian work, the other from wherever or whenever they like – that moved, surprised and inspired them in 2025.
Elsewhere, The Monthly’s senior art critic Quentin Sprague considers the state of critical culture in 2025, asking whether the age of the public critic-at-large may be behind us as the conversation fragments. And our cover essay, from Julia Baird, announces and celebrates a major new cultural and intellectual partnership for The Monthly – beginning this October, we’ll be working with the ABC to support and amplify the annual Boyer Lectures.
Plus there’s criticism and commentary, reviews and reflections, as well as new writing from Ashley Hay, Robert Skinner, Bri Lee and more.