BrisAsia Festival is back with a bang
- Written by The Times
Brisbane’s biggest cultural event, BrisAsia Festival, returns with a packed program of events to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
The enhanced offering features more than 50 events across 10 suburbs that fuse Asian art, culture and cuisine with live performances by internationally acclaimed artists, outdoor festivities, and intimate cultural encounters.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the festival, held from 1-20 February, provides a fantastic opportunity to participate and be part of Brisbane’s evolving cultural story.
“The much-loved BrisAsia Festival has an incredible array of events on offer, and we are really proud that we can offer such an extensive program for residents to enjoy,” Cr Schrinner said.
“At a time when international travel may not be on the radar for most people, it’s a delight to be able to bring a taste of Asia to Brisbane and celebrate the rich diversity of our community.
“The three-week long festivities include the dazzling BrisAsia Festival Launch Party which coincides with Lunar New Year on 4 February, and will celebrate the Year of the Tiger, promoting strength, courage, and wisdom through a vibrant mix of live music, dance and cultural performances.
“From the city to the suburbs BrisAsia Festival’s 2022 program marks a new era for the festival with new experiences including hip hop, luxury car and food truck event Southside by Night, the first ever dedicated tea festival The Laneway Tea Festival, digital storytelling initiative Mother’s Table, a special Valentine’s Day event BrisAsia Love Songs, a new music and healing initiative Satsang - Sacred Gathering and we’ll see some of our finest Asian designers showcased through BrisAsia Fashion.
“This year’s festival will also see the return of some festival favourites including Rare Voices celebrating sounds and voices from across the Asian region, BrisAsia LIVE, the cutting-edge multidisciplinary arts residency and showcase, Summer Party celebrating Asian pop culture and dance and BrisAsia Stories an initiative designed to explore Brisbane’s evolving cultural identity, delivered in partnership with Museum of Brisbane.”
Cr Shrinner said community and cultural events like BrisAsia Festival, are an important part in helping boost the local economy as we deal with the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It's been another tough year for many industries, including the arts, and Council worked hard to deliver more than 150 festivals for residents in 2021 as part of a $3.62 million commitment to cultural programs across the city,” he said.
“Last year BrisAsia Festival employed 176 creatives and supported 318 jobs, helping to stimulate the local economy and boost the creative sector.
“We are delivering BrisAsia Festival in line with Queensland Health’s safety guidelines with enhanced safety measures and cleaning in place across all venues and QR codes used to assist with contract tracing.
“Many events require bookings, and tickets will be limited so I encourage residents to get in early to secure a spot.”
For the full BrisAsia Festival program and other events, visit Brisbane City Council and search ‘BrisAsia’.
EVENTS LISTING
|
Date |
Event |
Details |
Time & Location |
Cost |
|
28 and 29 January 2022 |
Vietnamese Lunar New Year |
Experience the most popular and important holiday festival in Vietnam, Hội chợ Tết. Following the Lunisolar Calendar this traditional event celebrates the arrival of spring in the Northern hemisphere and the Vietnamese New Year with fun family activities, food stalls, lion dances, firecrackers, traditional music performances, a traditional costume parade and a martials art performance by Calligraphy. |
5– 0pm CJ Greenfield Sports Complex |
Free |
|
1-3 February |
New Waves |
Esports is not just about the players. Come join us in these interactive workshops to transform your passion and love for all things gaming into the perfect career in this growing industry. |
4–6pm SAE Institiute, West End |
Free |
|
3 February |
EVENINGS with Kelly Higgins Divine & Ashwin Segkar |
Join ABC presenters Kelly Higgins Devine and Ashwin Segkar as they celebrate the start of BrisAsia Festival 2022 with a live broadcast featuring performances, interviews and discussions with festival artists, creatives, chefs and more. |
7–9pm ABC Studio – On-Air |
Free |
|
4 February |
BrisAsia Beats: May Lyn & Friends |
Enjoy an evening under the stars with producer, singer and songwriter May Lyn, whose sincere lyrics and distinctive voice are backed by carefully crafted grooves and lush atmospheric textures. This BrisAsia Beats event is presented in partnership with QPAC. |
5:30–7:30pm QPAC Melbourne Street Green |
Free |
|
5 February |
BrisAsia Launch Party |
It’s the Year of the Tiger, so let’s step out and celebrate together. BrisAsia Festival Launch Party for 2022 will be a pulsating cultural spectacular full of light, colour and movement featuring live performances, DJs, dance, fashion and more. |
6–8pm Fortitude Valley Hall |
Free |
|
6 February |
BrisAsia Fashion Forum |
Join Fashion Director Liz Golding with a stellar line up of Asian and Indigenous designers for this intimate panel discussion. Learn how their cultural heritage has informed and inspired their craft and design. A wonderful opportunity to get up close to some of the |
2–4pm Fortitude Music Hall |
$45 |
|
BrisAsia Fashion Festival Parade |
masterminds behind the leading labels Akira, Dogstar, Anannasa and Native Swimwear. |
5–8pm |
||
|
6 February |
BrisAsia Beats: Chong Ali & Friends |
BrisAsia Beats presents local hip hop legend Chong Ali, an artist with a fluid yet gritty flow who writes love letters to his neighbourhood and its people through his music. This event is presented in partnership with The Zoo. |
6–8:30pm The Zoo |
$15 |
|
6 February |
BrisAsia Dance |
Are you ready to rumble? Watch the best of the best dancers on stage at BrisAsia Dance, Brisbane’s freshest street dance event. |
4–8pm Queen Street Mall Stage, Brisbane City |
Free |
|
11 February |
Southside by Night |
A one-of-a-kind car meet to show off Brisbane’s best rides. From Luxury Euros, JDM’s to Exotics, you’ll feel like you’ve pulled up to a Vin Diesel movie. With top DJ’s and artists plus real street food from the community, we’re giving Brisbane’s underground the shine they deserve. |
5–9pm Unidus Community Centre |
Free |
|
11 February |
BrisAsia Beats: Menaka & Friends |
BrisAsia Beats presents live music in the Queen Street Mall, featuring a selection of local artists as part of BrisAsia Festival. Hailing from a musical family deeply rooted in South Indian (Carnatic) music, Menaka’s music explores the fusion of Indian music with influences from all over the world. |
4:30–5:30pm Queen Street Mall stage |
Free |
|
11 February |
Wer Ya From? |
Wer ya from? No, not the suburb, where are you really from? Join us for an improvised show based on hilarious true stories of heritage and culture, as told by Big Fork Theatre's Improv in Colour improvisers who are as diverse as these hashtags: #KDrama #ChickenAdobo #SingaporeSling #CricketInColombo #RelaxLah |
7:30–8:30pm Big Fork Theatre Company |
$20 |
|
12 February |
BrisAsia Stands Up |
A stacked line up celebrating the immense talent and unique voices |
5:30–8:30pm |
$20 |
|
of Brisbane’s Asian Australian comedians. Featuring our city’s finest comedians including Ashwin Segkar, Ting Lim, Sandeep Totlani, Jo Gowda, MJ Wong and Michael Cho. These local comedy legends are ready to tear up the stage at BrisAsia Stands Up! |
Big Fork Theatre Company |
|||
|
12 February |
BrisAsia Laneway Tea Festival |
A BeauTeaful one day festival dedicated to Brisbane’s best tea makers. Taking over Fish Lane, the inaugural BrisAsia Laneway Tea Festival will see the city’s best tea makers come together for a very tasty day. For the first time, you will be able to taste all kinds of teas from different exhibitors all in one place, including everyone’s favourite Asian drink, boba—bubble tea! To round out the fun, there will be markets, tea workshops and tastings as well as tunes and bands sound-tracking the festivities from midday into the evening. |
11am–8pm Fish Lane, South Brisbane |
Free |
|
13 February |
BrisAsia LOVE Songs |
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at the magical Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens with BrisAsia Love Songs, a musical journey featuring loves songs and passionate musical improvisations from across the globe. Featuring an exotic blend of singers and musicians from diverse styles and cultures the event will be the perfect setting to share a romantic interlude with your beloved. Pack your picnic blanket, bubbles and settle in for a free sunset serenade. |
5:30–7:30pm Ampitheatre, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Toowong |
Free |
|
17 February |
BrisAsia LIVE HYPNOTIC A Open Rehearsal |
BrisAsia Live is the festival hub for cutting edge cross-disciplinary collaboration and creative innovation. Based at the iconic Brisbane Powerhouse the residency responds to our sector’s growing appetite for meaningful intercultural arts experiences that generate new work, tell new stories and shape new creative and cultural destinies for our creative sector. |
12 noon–1pm Brisbane Powerhouse |
Free |
|
18 February |
BrisAsia LIVE HYPNOTIC A Live Performanc e |
The BrisAsia Festival is proud present the premier performance of Hypnotica. Drawing inspiration from the sounds and rhythms of traditional Sundanese music the live performance will feature traditional Indonesian musician Efiq Zulfiqar, experimental percussionist Yvette Agapow, circus artist/physical performer Mayu Moto, violinist Flora Wong, guitarist/composer Dr Anthony Garcia and local emerging artists. |
5:30–6:30pm Brisbane Powerhouse |
Free |
|
18 February |
Aussie K Poppers United |
Witness the addictive melodies, slick choreography and high production values of our local K POP crews as they showcase this truly global phenomenon. |
5:30–9pm Southbank Piazza, South Brisbane |
Free |
|
19 February |
Summer Party |
What better way to send off summer than partying at Summer Party with non-stop entertainment! For all our Asian pop culture lovers out there, this event will be a jam-packed afternoon of e-Gaming, Asian Pop music, cosplay and dance. Watch South Bank light up as we celebrate Asian -pop culture and all things tech like never before! |
3–8pm Southbank Piazza, South Brisbane |
Free |
|
19 February |
Rare Voices |
Rare Voices is a rich celebration of vocal traditions from across the Asian region. The concert will feature internationally acclaimed singers and renowned instrumentalists presenting intimate traditional songs, pulsating world rhythms, contemporary indi pop music and hypnotic collective improvisations. |
7-9:30pm SunPAC 470 McCullough St, Sunnybank QLD |
Adult $15 + Booking Fee Concess ion/child $10 + Booking Fee Family (2 adults / 2 childrens ) $40 + Booking Fee |
|
20 February |
BrisAsia Beats: QUIVR DJs in Winn Lane #02 |
Enjoy an afternoon of music curated by local artists from QUIVR’s DJ community in one of Fortitude Valley’s iconic laneways. This BrisAsia Beats event is presented in partnership with QUIVR and Winn Lane. |
12-6pm Winn Lane, Fortitude Valley |
Free |
|
20 February |
Satsang Sacred Gathering |
Be transported to a place of inner harmony and wellbeing through this wonderful music and healing initiative. Satsang is a sacred gathering of musicians and healers from diverse cultural traditions and backgrounds. The program will include guided meditation, musical performances and conclude with a community gathering supported by local northside food sellers. |
4–6pm Fitzgibbon Community Centre |
Free |
|
1-28 February |
Mother’s Table |
Mother’s Table is a mini documentary series produced for BrisAsia Festival featuring local restaurant owners Maggie Nguyen, Mie Mie Wing Kee, and Taro Akimoto. Learn about the families and stories behind the restaurants and dishes that have shaped Brisbane’s culinary landscape! Produced in partnership with SAE, Cafe O-Mai, Mamaku Street Food and Taro’s Ramen. |
Digital instillation |
Free |
