OzAsia Festival has celebrated its 15th year with more than 175,000 attendances across 50 ticketed and free events showcasing the best of Asian and Asian Australian performance across a wide range of genres including theatre, music, dance, comedy, community events, literature and visual art.
This year’s program, under the artistic direction of Annette Shun Wah, featured more than 500 community, national and international artists from 8 countries, and included 10 world premieres, one Australian premiere and seven Adelaide premieres.
OzAsia Festival Artistic Director Annette Shun Wah: “It was so heartening to witness audience responses to this year’s OzAsia Festival program. There was laughter and absolute awe for exceptional works such as Margaret Leng Tan’s Dragon Ladies Don’t Weep, the stunning Indian-Australian collaboration Bridge of Dreams and Marrugeku’s Gudirr Gudirr.
“The final weekend saw audiences out in full force for LEENALCHI and 1300’s electrifying performances at the Lucky Dumpling Market, a showcase of exciting new Korean & Korean-Australian artists embodying the cultural connection OzAsia Festival strives to foster each year. Profound conversations were held during In Other Words, the writing and ideas program that elicited deep connection, insight, compassion, and hilarity. Thank you to our audiences for embracing this festival once again in its 15th year and we look forward to bringing you more unforgettable artistic experiences in OzAsia Festival 2023!”
OzAsia Festival opened on Thursday, October 20, and celebrated opening week attendances of 66,000 across four days of inspiring performances including the Australian premiere of South Korean magic & comedy extravaganza SNAP at Her Majesty’s Theatre and family favourite Moon Lantern Trail, which attracted more than 25,000 attendees at Tarntanya Wama/Pinky Flat.
Minister for Arts the Hon. Andrea Michaels MP: “The Moon Lantern Trail is now an established tradition for Adelaide families. It is a marvellous free experience that kicks off three weeks of celebrations of Asian and Asian Australian culture, highlighting the richness of diversity of our wonderful multicultural society. Congratulations to Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia team for presenting another fabulous festival.”
The festival concluded with the return of writing and ideas program In Other Words, bigger and better than ever, with 60 of Asia and Australia’s leading contemporary writers and thinkers presenting more than 30 free sessions covering topics such as representation, ethics of technology, the rise of dictatorships, artificial intelligence, and pop culture.
In Other Words Program Curator Jennifer Wong: “What an unforgettable weekend for audiences and writers alike at In Other Words, with much laughter, some tears, and candid conversations that are just the beginning, not the end. In these conversations we've seen suffering, triumph, joy, and endurance. Experiencing this in a roomful of fellow lovers of books and ideas reminds us that we're never truly alone, and that with words, we will somehow find our way.”
Adelaide audiences were the first to enjoy world premiere performances including leading film actor and fight choreographer Maria Tran’s theatrical debut Action Star, acclaimed choreographer Sue Healey’s ground-breaking dance performance The Long Walk live streamed via drone from Robe, and outdoor musical theatre and puppetry experience The Rat Catcher of Angkor Wat by Victoria’s A Blanck Canvas and world-famous psych rockers The Cambodian Space Project.
This year’s festival also saw the return of The Special Comedy Comedy Special hosted by Jennifer Wong at Her Majesty’s Theatre with audiences enjoying a night of laughs from a stellar bill of Asian Australian comedians.
A new addition to OzAsia Festival this year was the Bubble Tea Garden which took over Festival Plaza from 5-6 November, celebrating the beloved Taiwanese delicacy that has taken the world by storm. The garden proved to be a hit with trading hours extended on both days to meet demand.
Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM: “As we come to the end of this fabulous 2022 edition of OzAsia - I want to thank our artists, writers, speakers and audiences for making this the most important and enjoyable cultural event in our country, focusing on the cultural engagement between Australia and Asia.”
Crowd favourite Lucky Dumpling Market saw foodies enjoying a wide range of cuisines from 24 food vendors at Elder Park. Due to popular demand Lucky Dumpling Market has been extended until November 13 with more OzAsia Festival live music being presented on the Lucky Dumpling Market stage as part of Lucky Beats.
Arts-lovers can still catch OzAsia Festival exhibition Pendulum at Nexus Arts until 18 November, curated by South Australia’s Jonathan Kim, featuring six local second-generation Asian Australian visual artists exploring the process of acculturation and the restoration that comes from reconnection. Michelle Law’s smash hit riotous family comedy Single Asian Female can also be seen at Dunstan Playhouse until Saturday 19 November.
OzAsia Festival will return in 2023 from October 19 to November 5, with updates available at ozasia.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au