The 2016 OzAsia Festival features 47 major events, including 35 Australian premieres. There are 111 professional performances, as well as 101 performances by community groups, 8 exhibitions, 16 film screenings, 59 workshop events and more.
Adelaide Festival Centre revealed new contemporary 10 year anniversary programming for this year’s OzAsia Festival which runs from 17 September – 2 October. OzAsia Festival is Australia’s leading international arts festival presenting the best theatre, dance, music, film and visual arts from across Asia. This year’s program features an impressive array of performance works by contemporary Asian artists who are pioneering work in their field. Performers congregating for the Festival come from a far-reaching and diverse number of Asian countries including Japan, India, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Cambodia, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Israel.
The 2016 OzAsia Festival features 47 major events, including 35 Australian premieres. There are 111 professional performances, as well as 101 performances by community groups, 8 exhibitions, 16 film screenings, 59 workshop events and more. More than 330 professional artists will perform in Adelaide, along with 458 community artists. More than 280,000 people are expected to attend OzAsia Festival over the 12 days in 2016 across a mix of free and ticketed events.
To celebrate the Festival’s 10 Year Anniversary, a special Outdoor Live Music Concert Series, which is free for everyone to enjoy, will run over ten nights in Elder Park with high profile international artists each night. Artists include Japan’s Kenta Hayashi; Indonesia’s Ega Robot, Eyuser and Ria Rhythm Chambers; India’s biggest cultural and musical export Raghu Dixit along with Pung Cholom. Hong Kong will be represented by Jin Wong, four-girl band GDJYB, Jabin Law and SIU2. Don’t miss super cool Singapore band The Steve McQueens and Charlie Lim and The Mothership; Taiwanese folk-band Wonfu, Freedom Beat X DJ Cheer and Fade to Blue; Korea’s We Dance and Danpyunsun and The Sailors. Australia’s Electric Fields and Ngaire, Malyasia’s Tenderfist and Cosmic Cambodia. Rounding off the ten free nights of music will be a special performance of King of Ghosts, a live film score to a classic Indian film, created by India’s Soumik Datta and featuring Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. The ten nights of free music will have Elder Park pulsing to the beat of contemporary music from across Asia.
The Festival environment and atmosphere will spill out of Adelaide Festival Centre as the Good Fortune Market forms a massive festival hub in Elder Park filled with delicious food, stunning design and loads of free music and performances every night. From the creative minds behind exciting events including the Royal Croquet Club and Alpine Winter Village, the Good Fortune Market will transport you all the way to the vibrant streets of Asia.
The expanded program, including the outdoor concert series and the Good Fortune Market, has been made possible with additional annual funding of $750,000 from the State Government and a one-off $400,000 from the Federal Government Catalyst grant program.
OzAsia Festival Director Joseph Mitchell said: “2016 OzAsia Festival gives Australian audiences an insight into the vibrant contemporary arts scene from across Asia. There is a generation of young, bold, risk-taking artists who are creating genre-blurring performances that celebrate the immediacy and fast-paced culture of Asia in the 21st Century.”
The Festival’s theatre program provides audiences with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the best performance culture from across Asia.
“Many of the productions are very different to the traditional theatre-going experience. We have shows such as SK!N, Bunny and The Record which have all been created by some of the world’s leading contemporary artists. It’s a different feel to standard theatre going and there is an energy, buzz and hint of the unpredictable about the artists and performances being presented this year,” Mitchell says.
“Asia is where the rules for contemporary performance are being shaped for the 21st century. Artists from this region of the world are drawing on a fusion of technology, tradition, modernity and international collaborations across international cultures, and this year our festival program provides a glimpse into the incredible visionary arts from Asia shaping the future.”
Mitchell says of the vibrant atmosphere planned for the Festival, “This year’s festival is also about celebrating and having a fun time. The 10 year anniversary for OzAsia Festival is a milestone to celebrate and we want to ensure everyone can have a great experience. Audiences can see two or three shows on any night, wander through art galleries, attend free talks, discover some secret performance events, see international artists in the special Free 10 year Anniversary celebration of outdoor concerts and then hang out with friends in the Good Fortune Market. We’ve made it almost impossible for anyone just to come and see one show at the theatre and leave, there are so many other things going on and it will be a fun-filled festival atmosphere every night.“
Jack Snelling Minister for the Arts says: “OzAsia Festival is celebrating its tenth year and has grown to become a nationally unique cultural event. The additional funding announced in the recent State Budget is supporting a new outdoor concert series and Festival Hub – the Good Fortune Markets. These new events, in addition to the popular Moon Lantern Festival, will bring two and a half weeks of free family events to Elder Park and really envelop the city in a celebration of Asian food, culture and entertainment.”
The opening weekend will include the Australian premiere of one of Hong Kong’s most acclaimed dance company. City Contemporary Dance Company’s performance of As If To Nothing captures the urgency and anxiety of modern day Hong Kong with a technically brilliant ensemble of 14 dancers, accompanied by live multimedia and sound in a moving set choreographed by internationally renowned Sang Jijia. 22 – 24 September, Dunstan Playhouse.
Moon Lantern Festival (photo credit: Trentino)
The Record brings together 45 people from South Australia to create a live performance that captures and explores the essence of mortality. 600 Highwaymen Artistic Directors Abigail Browde and Michael Silverston are known for their innovative theatrical works which focus on the inherent poignancy and theatricality of our innate desire and need for convergence. The show will provide an exciting record of Adelaide’s social fabric in 2016. 21 – 24 September, Space Theatre.
Choreographer and dancer Hiroaki Umeda is one of the leading figures in Japan’s avant-garde art scene. Split Flow and Holistic Strata have enthralled audiences the world over and the Australian premiere will be a blistering storm of frenetic pixels blurring the boundaries between the physical dancer and their relationship with light and sound. 27 – 28 September, Dunstan Playhouse.
Lovers of dance will rejoice in Noa Wertheim’s stunning choreography, moving between realism and surrealism, Vertigo 20 conveys a hypnotic physicality that has been the hallmark of this world-renowned dance company from Israel, Vertigo Dance Company. 30 September – 1 October, Dunstan Playhouse.
Soft Machine: Rianto demonstrates how the transition between man and woman can be a simple gesture. Created and directed by Choy Ka Fai, The mesmeric and captivating Indonesian artist Rianto, will perform the traditional erotic dance Lengger in a solo performance alongside new contemporary styles. 24 – 25 September, Space Theatre.
An immersive and participatory event, Skin is based on true stories of human trafficking. It is a cutting edge contemporary new promenade style theatre and dance work by TerryandtheCuz, in collaboration with Australian choreographer Ashley Dyer. Redefining the experience of theatre, it strives to challenge our perception of performance. This achingly beautiful portrayal of the physical and mental torture suffered by refugees premieres in Kuala Lumpur before transferring to Adelaide. 28 September – 1 October, Her Maj Gallery.
Theatre aficionados will delight in the return of China’s leading theatre director Meng Jinghui with the Australian premiere of Two Dogs. Acclaimed as the most performed drama in mainland China, it is a hilarious comedy that challenges the lifestyles and idealistic views of modern China. 29 September – 1 October, Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Acclaimed Tokyo theatre director Toshiki Okada brings baseball to the stage. God Bless Baseball is a comical investigation into how the iconic American sport of baseball has been fused into Japanese and Korean pop culture. 30 September – 1 October, Space Theatre.
Cambodia’s Phare Circus is an edgy, high energy, all-singing-and-dancing Cambodian circus extravaganza suitable for all ages. This special OzAsia Festival world premiere presentation set in the Ukiyo Tent in Elder Park is full of adrenaline-pumping action and mind blowing stunts! The company was founded in 1994 by young men returning from a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge. Phare uses art to transform the lives of children living in poverty and difficult social situations in Cambodia. 27 September- 2 October, Elder Park.
Classics are reimagined – don’t miss Twelfth Night by The Company Theatre Mumbai. First premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, this award winning Hindi translation of Twelfth Night is set in the frenetic and bustling city of Mumbai. It is filled with original music, singing, dancing and many nods to the chaos of contemporary life in modern day India. 23 – 24 September, Ukiyo Tent, Elder Park.
“Bunny” is a nickname given to a person tied in rope bondage. A collaboration between Australian Luke George and Singaporean Daniel Kok, the two lead you down the rabbit hole to unleash your collective, often dormant desires in an interactive immersive experience. 23 – 24 September, Nexus Arts.
Inspired by her mentor, the legendary John Cage, Margaret Leng Tan is the world’s first professional toy piano virtuoso in addition to her toy piano, she will bring music boxes, two-note paper accordions and bell bicycle in Cabinet of Curiosities. 28 September, Nexus Arts
For the first time OzAsia presents two incredible nights of electronic and experimental music. Subverse features some of the most progressive experimental music form underground Asia alongside a handpicked selection of exceptional talent. Immerse yourself in a bold, subterranean universe of sound, pop culture, music and digital art as Nexus Arts space transforms into a vibrant sonic temple. 30 September – 1 October, Nexus Arts.
Vertigo (photo credit: Gadi Dagon)
Beastly, a project from Adelaide’s Tutti Arts, brings live performance art to the Adelaide Festival Centre Riverdeck, featuring an interactive street art installation designed by Indonesian artist Andres Busrianto, who works alongside artists with disabilities from Tutti Arts and Stepping Stone from Penang. Nearby in the Adelaide Riverbank, discover a world of underground wonderland temples. Inside each temple you’ll discover performance art based on the theme of animals and iconography from South East Asia. 22 – 24 September, 28 September – 1 October, Adelaide Riverbank, Free Event.
Croquiky Brothers is a hilarious Korean comedy that includes live drawing of audience members, renowned paintings and iconic objects. Loaded with clowning, comedy and audience participation, this is fun for the whole family. 1 – 2 October, Ukiyo Tent, Elder Park.
2016 AAPPAC Annual Conference will be held during the OzAsia Festival, 27 – 30th September 2016. The three day conference will bring together 200 arts leaders from all over Asia, as well as Australian arts leaders seeking to make connections here in Adelaide and examine key issues affecting Asia Pacific Arts Centres and Festivals.
Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Artistic Director and AAPPAC Chairman Douglas Gautier says, “Adelaide Festival Centre is acknowledged internationally as a leader in Asian engagement and OzAsia Festival underpins our strategy to connect with Asia.”
“Over the past 10 years, the Festival has consistently presented outstanding creative work from across Asia. We are very pleased and optimistic about its track record and future potential in creating opportunities for a mainstream celebration of Asian culture. We also look forward to welcoming arts leaders from around the globe at this year’s AAPPAC Conference. The overall theme of this year’s conference is “Arts Centres – Connecting Communities” and we will explore the contribution of art centres to multicultural communities. It is timely that in these uncertain times delegates will experience firsthand how OzAsia bridges Asian and Australian cultures”.
There is always plenty of fun for the whole family and this year’s Moon Lantern Festival is sure to be nothing short of spectacular.
Bring family and friends together to wonder at the spectacle of Australia’s largest lantern parade celebration featuring the giant 40 person long Hong Kong Dragon, Moon Lantern Festival will once again light up Elder Park on Saturday 17 September. Wander through Elder Park to look at lantern installations, explore Adelaide’s food truck cuisine and watch roving performances. Food vendors will start operating in the early afternoon and programmed activities will commence from 3pm. After sunset, get ready for the parade of spectacular lanterns followed by amazing fireworks over the River Torrens.
Elder Park will be aglow with a Spring Festival colour scheme, with over a kilometre of pink, yellow and red festooning lanterns throughout the park. A trail of 20 large exquisite lanterns will be placed throughout the Park for families to explore. These playful displays take the forms of flowers, animals and toys. Adding to the outstanding visual display, The River Torrens will be filled with hundreds of brightly coloured floating lotus lanterns and the footbridge will be strung with kites and festooning.
His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC, Governor of South Australia, says, “I am greatly honoured to have been Patron of OzAsia Festival, Australia’s flagship arts festival for engaging with Asia, since its inception 10 years ago. This unique festival offers great opportunities for South Australians to enjoy and experience many outstanding artistic talents from across Asia. I encourage you to explore the 2016 program, which is filled with many wonderful performances including the Moon Lantern Festival, one of Australia’s most joyful and vibrant celebrations of Asian culture.”
Fabricasian is a vibrant, fun-filled and free family event presented by the Migration Museum. Come and celebrate with the crew of the Migration Museum through expressive dance, arts and crafts workshops, cultural demonstrations, fashion and much more. 24 – 25 September, Ukiyo Tent, Elder Park, FREE.
Another FREE family event is Indofest, which delivers to you the cultural essence of Bali through food and music and dance. 24 September, North Tce Cultural Precinct, 11am – 4pm FREE.
OzAsia Festival’s Film Program, in association with the Media Resource Centre, presents a retrospective with legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To, whose prolific and diverse works have been well-received at film festivals such as Cannes and Venice. Also included as part of OzAsia’s film program are eight films within the Across Asia selection. Screening films from South Korea to Afghanistan, this selection is rich in variety. From Tibet offers two films that provide a rare insight into the enigmatic life of those living in the remote, Far East plateau of Tibet. Fresh Wave showcases the work of Hong Kong’s emerging generation of filmmakers through a selection of short films exploring the theme of ‘Current Politics’, and Continental Shift offers a collection of short films directed by Flinders University Honours students, who in their works contemplate the stunning and ever-evolving diversity of modern Asia.
Cabinet of Curiosities (photo credit: Kong Chong Yew)
OzAsia Festival presents a feast of visual artists across Adelaide’s leading galleries including Adelaide Festival Centre’s Artspace Gallery:
Artspace Gallery presents Sequential Movement. Two of Japan’s leading dance choreographers and exponents of digital media installation Hiroaki Umeda and Mikuni Yanaihara guide you through the matrix of digital performance with a mesmerizing blend of body movement, multimedia immersion, electronic sound and choreography. 9 September – 2 October, Artspace Gallery.
Japan’s teamLab are a world-leading artist collective known for staging large-scale indoor and outdoor interactive installations drawing on themes of nature and humanity. As a special 10 year anniversary, in partnership with Art Gallery of South Australia and Samstag Museum of Art, three stunning works will be exhibited in Adelaide, including the unveiling of Ever Blossoming Life II – Gold and Cold Life from September 16. The 100 Years Sea will be exhibited from September 19 at the Samstag Museum.
CACSA presents Hong Kong artist Kingsley Ng in his first ever solo exhibition in Australia. Record Light creates a tender and moving counterpoint to the bright lights and sensory bombardment of modern day Hong Kong. 9 September – 14 October, CACSA.
Nexus Arts Gallery presents two stunning works of collaboration between Australia and China. Unworldly Encounters features the work of experimental artists Shi Jinsong, Cang Xin, Sam Leach and Tony Lloyd who were inspired by Indigenous cultures and natural wonders of their respective nations. Divine Interventions offers a partnership between Damien Shen and Badiucao, visionaries who question concepts of identity, culture and belonging in our modern regions.
At the Festival Theatre Foyer, be transported to the busy back street of Indonesia via the patterned work of Emily Rustano’s Pola: Motif Exhibition and nearby at the Adelaide Central Gallery bear witness to the immersive installation exploring Philippine culture and history, Roundabout by Mark Valenzuela, Riel Hilario and Wawi Navarroza.
2016 OzAsia Festival is supported by the Government of South Australia – ARTS SA and the Australian Government Catalyst – Australian Arts and Culture Fund.
Dr. Mariana Sigala is Professor in Tourism and Director of the Centre of Tourism & Leisure Management (CTLM) at the University of South Australia Business School.
Professor Sigala has a PhD from the University of Surrey as well as a Certificate of Advanced Academic Studies from the University of Strathclyde and an MSc in Tourism Management from the University of Surrey.
Professor Sigala is a widely published authority in the area of Service Operations Management and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications in Tourism and Hospitality. She also has an interest in e-learning models and pedagogies, having published several research studies in these areas. Professor Sigala’s research is multi-award winning featuring several best paper awards in international conferences and academic journals, such as papers published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management and the International Journal of Hospitality Management.
Professor Sigala is the current Chair of the ICHRIE Johnson and Wales Case Study Competition and Publication Series . She is also currently the co-editor of the international journal Journal of Service Theory and Practice, the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the editor of the International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases.
Professor Sigala has also served on the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Information Technology, Tourism and Travel (IFITT) (as Membership Director); the International Council on Hospitality, Restaurant and Institutional Education (I-CHRIE) (as Research Director, 2008 - 2010); the Hellenic Association of Information Systems (HeAIS) (as Publicity Director); and the Executive Board of the European Council on Hospitality, Restaurant and Institutional Education (EuroCHRIE) (as President, 2004 - 2005).
Professor Sigala joined the UniSA Business School in 2015 and brings more than 13 years of international academic and teaching experience to the UniSA Business School and the School of Management.
