Asian Australian Artists Debate the Future of OzAsia Festival as It Ends After 20 Years
Next week marks the final edition of the OzAsia Festival, which has been running for two decades. Supported by the Adelaide Festival Centre since 2007, this event has celebrated Asian and Asian-Australian artists. CEO Kate Gould revealed plans for a transition to year-round programming focused on Asian arts, arguing that a dedicated festival no longer meets the demand for sustained presence. Concerns about this change were voiced by artists like Elaine Chia and Mindy Meng Wang, who noted the festival's vital role in fostering audience engagement and intercultural dialogue. Annalouise Paul questioned whether year-round initiatives could achieve the same visibility, while Jay Emmanuel pointed out the detrimental effects on artistic exchange. The festival's conclusion marks a significant change in the representation of Asian Australian arts, leading to calls for ongoing support and innovative approaches.
Key facts
- OzAsia Festival will end after 20 years of annual programming supported by Adelaide Festival Centre.
- The final festival opens next week.
- Since 2007, OzAsia has showcased theatre, dance, music, literature, and artist conversations by Asian and Asian-Australian artists.
- Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould announced the transition to year-round Asian arts programming in August.
- Elaine Chia is Board Chair of Contemporary Asian Australian Performance and former Executive Director at Adelaide Festival.
- Mindy Meng Wang premiered Opera for The Dead (co-created with Monica Lim) at OzAsia 2025.
- Annalouise Paul is a Melbourne/Naarm-based actor, dancer, and choreographer of Indian-Sephardi and Russian-Askenazi heritage.
- Jay Emmanuel is an Indian-born, Perth-based performer, theatre-maker, and Founder/Director of Encounter Theatre.
Entities
Artists
- Belle Chen
- Kate Gould
- Elaine Chia
- Mindy Meng Wang
- Monica Lim
- Annalouise Paul
- Jay Emmanuel
- Sun Xiaoxing
- Ai Weiwei
- Jo Pickup
- Richard Carroll
- Victoria Falconer
- Troy Rogers
- Andrea Louise Thomas
- Boram Lee
- Annette Shun Wah
- Joon-Yee Kwok
- Ting Zhang
- Ying Zhu
- Michael Pham
- Katrina Sedgwick
- Diana Carroll
Institutions
- OzAsia Festival
- Adelaide Festival Centre
- ArtsHub
- InDaily
- Contemporary Asian Australian Performance
- Adelaide Festival
- AsiaTOPA
- Sydney Festival
- Groundswell Arts NSW
- Encounter Theatre
- ScreenHub
- ABC
- RTRFM
- The West Australian
- Fremantle Arts Centre
- STRUT dance
- Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub of WA
- Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
- Hayes Theatre
- Frankston Arts Centre
- National Theatre
- Arts Centre Melbourne
- Adelaide University
- The Conversation
- Diversity Arts Australia
- Creative Australia
- Adelaide Guitar Festival
- City of Adelaide
- UNESCO
- The Jim Henson Company
- QAGOMA
- Brisbane Festival
- Erth
- Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
- Creative Futures Fund
Locations
- Adelaide
- Australia
- South Australia
- Melbourne
- Naarm
- Perth
- Indonesia
- Singapore
- China
- Asia Pacific
- New South Wales
- London
- Taiwan
- Beijing
- Indo-Pacific
- India
- Brisbane