The mainstreaming of geek culture means the arts are now targeting the disposable income of a once-derided demographic.
Once upon a time, nerds were uncool. Memorising lines of dialogue from The Lord of the Rings, playing Dungeons & Dragons, publically expressing your love for Doctor Who; these were activities that resulted in ostracism and ridicule.
Somewhere in the past 30 years, all that changed, thanks in part to the internet making once obscure information freely available. Now, our elite orchestras perform the soundtracks of The Lord of the Rings films to full houses; Vivid Sydney attracts massive crowds with its Doctor Who projections; and theatre productions about nerds’ battles with bullies and self-doubt receive critical acclaim and multiple Helpmann Award nominations.
