Do you have an event, festival, contribution opportunity or other activity with a relationship to Asian Australian arts and culture? Just email us your information with a link to the relevant details and we will do our best to share with our readers.
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November 2016
The 47th Annual Symposium
The 47th Annual Symposium will bring together humanities experts, cultural leaders, industry representatives and policy makers to consider how transnational experiences, networks and modes of engagement will shape Australia’s future in the region. Day 1 of the Symposium will showcase new theoretical approaches and research methodologies that explicitly engage with the connections between Asia and Australia, drawing on perspectives from the creative arts, philosophy, literature, history, religion and performative culture. Day 2 will focus on the unique and critical perspectives that humanities researchers bring to policy development in areas as diverse as trade and investment with Asia, languages, science and research diplomacy, and innovation. It will profile three interdisciplinary reports that formed part of the Securing Australia's Future program and the Academy’s current ARC−Learned Academies Special Projects report, The Humanities in the Asia Region.
Find out more »December 2016
Hot Brown Honey: In Conversation with Sista Zai
An in conversation with radio host and poet Sista Zai and the artists behind acclaimed cabaret 'Hot Brown Honey', followed by an audience Q&A session. Honeys Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers, Lisa Fa’alafi, Materharere Hope ‘Hope One’ Haami, Juanita Duncan, Ofa Fotu, and Crystal Stacey discuss the creative development of 'Hot Brown Honey', and their experiences as women of colour in the performing arts industry. Free, but bookings required. Drinks available after the event. (And a link to buy tickets to 'Hot Brown Honey' here)
Find out more »Racial Justice Day Out
Racial Justice Day Out is an open-forum space offering community discussion on issues on race and racism. The forum will foster conversation surrounding Australia's current social and political climate, focussing on Indigenous and First Nations rights to sovereignty, and refugee and asylum seeker human rights. Racial Justice Day Out seeks to being to answer the question: 'how can we mobilise action for racial justice in 2017 (and beyond)?'
Find out more »February 2017
Migration and the Private Lives of the Hoddle Grid: Walking Tour
Join a historian of colonial Melbourne, Nadia Rhook, to retrace the urban footpaths of migrants – from the British colonists who laid the Hoddle Grid over Wurundjeri land to the nascent South Asian diaspora based around ‘Little Lon’ and the politics of love, labour and opium in Little Bourke’s Chinese Quarter. Discover how Melbourne has been made and remade by migration and its fraught restrictions. This walk will leave you amazed at the tapestry of cultures and languages woven across the streets, shops, courts, boarding houses and warehouses of colonial Melbourne.
Find out more »WHERE WE AT? presented by THE PIN
The Pin brings you 'Where We At?' A look at Australian identity through the voices of people who call Australia home, featuring Briggs, writer Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, poet Soreti Kadir, artist Atong Atem, and DJ’s MzRizk & Sovereign Trax. Building on the growing conversations around race, identity and culture, The Curtin band room will be turned into an intimate seated event, hosted by Namila Benson (Triple R).
Find out more »Provocations: No One Way To Be Asian In Australia
Featuring Rebecca Lim, Alice Pung and Leanne Hall, ‘No One Way to be Asian in Australia’ will address the need for diversity rather than tokenism if we are to truly understand the experiences of those around us. Each of the writers brings a unique perspective to the discussion, pushing back against the idea that there is only one authentic Asian Australian story, and demonstrating the importance of listening to and embracing a wide range of voices. The panel will be recorded and made available on the Stella Podcast. RSVP via trybooking.
Find out more »Provocations: No One Way To Be Asian In Australia
Provocations: No One Way To Be Asian In Australia, presented by The Stella Prize. What is the danger in presenting a single story of a culture or group of people? How can we push back against cultural stereotypes and generalisations of what it means to grow up Asian in Australia? Featuring Rebecca Lim, Alice Pung and Leanne Hall, ‘No One Way to be Asian in Australia’ will address the need for diversity rather than tokenism if we are to truly understand the experiences of those around us. Each of the writers brings a unique perspective to the discussion, pushing back against the idea that there is only one authentic Asian Australian story, and demonstrating the importance of listening to and embracing a wide range of voices. The panel will be recorded and made available on the Stella Podcast, and the theme will be further explored in a series of guests…
Find out more »March 2017
Women of the World: Some Women’s Work
In partnership with Footscray Community Arts Centre's Women of the World Festival, Peril is proud to host a bang-on panel to discuss the nature of "women's work": Why is it a woman’s work never done? This panel will examine different understandings of labour in a range of ‘feminised’ sectors, in both global and local contexts, including understandings of work often rendered invisible, stigmatised or poorly valued. Chaired by Eleanor Jackson, and featuring writer and CEO of the Social Studio, Eugenia Flynn, poet and activist, Sadaf Saaz, and lawyer and author Priya Srinivasan. As this event is part of a ticketed festival, we advise that you investigate further on FCAC's website. Tickets are available in the form of day passes from $120.
Find out more »April 2017
Decolonising Climate Action
This event brings together artists, activists and experts to creatively respond to and discuss Indigenous knowledge systems informing decolonised climate action on land management, sustainability, climate justice and climate refugees. Featuring: Readings from Feedback Loop artist Katie West and Claire G Coleman Conversation on Decolonising Climate Action Facilitated by Dr Tyson Yunkaporta with Jacynta Fuamatu from 350Pacific, Allara Pattison from Seed Mob Youth Climate Network and Flow artist Jen Rae Contemporary dance performance from Feedback Loop artist Jahra Rager Wasasala.
Find out more »Buddha Birth Day Festival 2017 (Brisbane)
Since 1997 the Buddha Birth Day Festival has grown into one of Queensland’s most prestigious cultural events attracting in excess of 200,000 visitors and is now recognized as the largest annual Buddhist Birth Day Festival in the world. This year the Buddha Birth Day Festival is proud to be celebrating its 20th anniversary at The Parklands at Southbank. continue to showcase the diversity of Australia’s multicultural society, as visitors can enjoy a relaxed environment surrounded by a range of displays, entertained by a variety of performances and experience many cultural customs and activities and vegetarian food. It is a Festival for everyone, regardless of ages, religious or cultural backgrounds.
Find out more »August 2017
AUGUST COUPLET
Curated by Queensland Poetry Festival, COUPLET is a free poetry and performance event that presents two dynamic voices every month. Join us for August's COUPLET, which sees the start of Queensland Multicultural Month (who are a QPF2017 festival partner) Melbourne's Gayelene Carbis is in town to launch her first collection of poetry Anecdotal Evidence (Five Islands Press) at COUPLET. Gayelene is a poet/performance poet, playwright, and prose writer of Chinese/Irish/Cornish heritage whose work has been published and performed in Australia and overseas. Gayelene has been recently shortlisted for various poetry prizes, including: the Montreal International Poetry Prize; Fish International Poetry Prize (Ireland); and the Adrien Abbott; Martha Richardson Memorial; and Melbourne Poets Union International Poetry Prizes. Gayelene was awarded a Writing Studio (Poetry) Scholarship to the Banff Arts Centre in Canada in 2012 and read her work in Canada and New York. Gayelene’s most recent one-woman show won Best Premiere Production at the…
Find out more »QPF2017 POETS IN RESIDENCE WORKSHOPS + KEY EVENTS
QPF2017 has three incredible Poets in Residence this year: the Arts Queensland Poet in Residence role is being shared by two artists (Joy Harjo from the US and Courtney Sina Meredith from NZ), and our Indigenous Poet in Residence is Ali Cobby Eckermann. These three accomplished poets and performers are doing a range of events and workshops as part of QPF this year, and many fall outside the four-day festival itself, so check out the line-up on our website—you'll find Arts Queensland Poet in Residence details here and Indigenous Poet in Residence details here. QPF2017 Poets in Residence Workshops and key events Poets in Residence QPF2017 Workshops and key events
Find out more »21st Queensland Poetry Festival
The 21st Queensland Poetry Festival (QPF) turns up the volume on the finest local and international poetic voices from 24‒27 August at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts and a host of other exciting satellite venues. Featuring 120+ artists in 80+ sessions over four dynamic days and nights, 75% of sessions are free. Building upon over 6000 attendees last year, QPF2017 is the festival’s biggest and most ambitious venture yet. Redefining the poetic artform, the packed line-up includes slam poets, live music, panels, workshops, visual art installations, spoken word, film screenings, performance art, comedy and an inaugural poetry Publishers and Zine Fair. Some QPF2017 features include: Two Poets in Residence: QPF is proud to announce that the 2017 Arts Queensland Poet in Residence will be shared between one of the world’s greatest poets and one of its most exciting new voices: Joy Harjo (USA) and Courtney Sina Meredith (NZ). You can catch both Poets in Residence performing across a number of shows…
Find out more »QPF2017 WORKSHOP: WAYS TO WRITE THE BODY
This workshop is a chance to meet and learn from award-winning poet, writer and researcher, Dr Quinn Eades. The workshop focus will be on writing from (rather than about) life experiences and the body, particularly around gender and sexuality. Quinn will discuss the politics of life writing, and the ways that writing stories from ‘other’ bodies can broaden minds and promote social change. Quinn will share information about his own writing practice, and then set a series of writing exercises, some of them to music. If you haven’t written for a long time, think your story is not important enough to write or have dreamt of writing but never put fingers to keyboard or pen to paper, then this workshop is for you: you will leave with words. Book now! Sunday 27 August, 12–2 pm Bloodhound Corner Bar & Kitchen Tickets: $30
Find out more »QPF2017 WORKSHOP: POETRY BOOTCAMP FOR EMOTIONAL DELINQUENTS WITH HERA LINDSAY BIRD
For award-winning New Zealand poet Hera Lindsay Bird, the central question/task of poetry is how to make something that feels alive on the page. How do we get to the heart of what we are trying to say, without being overly didactic or too oblique? How do we to approach what we are unable to approach, when we are stuck and overwhelmed, staring at a blank page? Good poetry should guide itself, not be dragged kicking and screaming towards a predestined conclusion. Good poetry allows the poem permission to steer itself. But how, practically, can we achieve this? And how can we take linguistic and formal risks while staying emotionally honest? This workshop is a practical guide to generating new ideas and experimenting with text, but it’s also about how we integrate emotional honesty into our writing practice, and how we can adapt formal exercises to bring us closer to the heart…
Find out more »September 2017
Asia What? Melbourne Writers Festival 17
This FREE EVENT, with no bookings required, asks the questions, what are the 'authentic' stories of Asians and 'Asian-ness'? How are Asian narratives crafted, and as settlers, what are their relationships with Indigenous peoples? Explore these provacations through a day of free discussion, performances, workshops and reflections featuring Bruce Pascoe, Eugenia Flynn, Melanie Cheng, Ra Chapman, Sangeetha Thanapal, Steven Winduo, Shinen Wong and more. Presented in partnership with the Asian Australian Democracy Caucus - AADC. Friday, September 1st 2017 @ ACMI Cube (at Federation Square) 10am to 4pm Indigenous Connections: What is the relationship to indigeneity within the diverse identities of Asian and Pacific communities? As settlers, what role do Asian Australians play in the ongoing colonial project? Eugenia Flynn, Bruce Pascoe and Steven Winduo investigate and perform readings of their work. http://mwf.com.au/session/asia-what-indigenous-connections-2/ Genealogies of the Body What makes bodies ‘Asian’? How do the histories that we carry and the…
Find out more »In Between Two
Celebrated Asian-Australian Hip Hop artists, Joel Ma and James Mangohig share their stories growing up in Howard's Australia: underscored with humour and rap beats that resonate with Asian Australian youth today. Produced by CAAP (Contemporary Asian Australian Performance). On Tour NOW - 15 OCT.
Find out more »November 2017
Decolonising Gender and Contending with Legal Systems
The cis-sexist and white supremacist textures of colonisation has created and supported a gender binary system that has led to the discrimination and systemic oppression of trans, gender diverse and two-spirit people. How do we push back? What are the tools and frameworks we need right now? How might trans politics use legal systems as a tactic for survival and dismantling structural violence whilst ensuring that our transformative demands are not watered down? Join us as Philip Marrii shares a First Nations perspective on gender diverse identities. Then Matilda Alexander & Sujay Kentlyn will discuss new anti-discrimination laws that have significant implications for the rights of trans and gender non-binary people. These 3 speakers will share first, then there will be time for Q&A and discussion. People of all genders and allies are invited. Please share with your trans, gender non binary and ally friends. We can all be better…
Find out more »June 2018
IMA: First Thursdays, Naomi Blacklock
Ocean Between Us You’re invited to an evening of meditative breath work led by artist Naomi Blacklock and her mother Charlie Blacklock. Take part in participatory meditation and ritualised body practice, blending the yoga practice of Charlie with Naomi’s sound practice. Both use breathing techniques as a method of grounding and as an expression of agency and sovereignty. Perform Ujjayi or ‘wave of breath’: a breathing technique that involves locating the sound of the upward movement and release of the breath from the body. Afterwards, enjoy ayurvedic biscuits and tea made by Charlie and Naomi’s family members. By bringing the practice of yoga and meditation into the gallery, artist Naomi Blacklock opens up conversations around how these practices have been appropriated in the West as part of a broader discussion of colonisation. The Blacklocks will share their perspectives on navigating these issues within the dynamics of their own family, and in their respective cultural…
Find out more »Public Conversation: Making Asian Art Public/s
How are contemporary Asian artists and curators of Asian art working in new ways to make art matter to, and resonate with, society today? Join us for a public conversation inviting diverse perspectives on art and its public significance in rapidly changing cultural contexts in contemporary Asia. Public Conversation: Friday 29 June 2018, 1–2.30pm, followed by light refreshments Free, all welcome. Please RSVP by 21 June: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWLlyJGMDCEBLl0bvUNmWHQ6GCUmsJ9vZFGKalLvNFMzqpIQ/viewform
Find out more »February 2020
The Relationship is the Project: Lgbtiq+ author readings
Jade Lillie, Brow Books, and Hares Hyenas bookshop all warmly invite you to this special event, featuring readings from queer contributors from the newly-released book The Relationship is the Project, followed by a Q&A. Come celebrate this vital new book! And hear from contributors Daniel Santangeli, Caroline Bowditch, Adolfo Aranjuez, Eleanor Jackson (Peril Chair), and Jade Lillie. Drinks at bar prices, and some nibbles provided. Thursday 27th February from 6:30pm Hares & Hyenas bookshop 63 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065 Free, all welcome. Proceedings will kick off at about 7pm. ____________ ABOUT THE BOOK The Relationship is the Project: Working with Communities Edited by Jade Lillie, with Kate Larsen, Cara Kirkwood and Jax Jacki Brown A brilliant new ‘right now’ resource that aims to assist emerging practitioners, artists and cultural workers better engage with community-based projects. The breadth of the advice shared in this non-academic, practitioner-led book includes insights into…
Find out more »Please note: Peril provides these details as a courtesy, but we’re not in charge of the events, so please don’t harrass us if the Facebook page is down for a particular event – unless we make that really really clear, in which case you’ll know because we’ll probably be hounding to you come along.