Tasmanian artists set to shine in Singapore

Asialink Arts and Arts Tasmania are delighted to announce that Stephanie Jack and Assembly 197 have been selected through a highly competitive process and professional development program to participate in one-on-one mentoring and travel to Singapore in late 2022 and early 2023. Creating connections and building long term relationships in new markets is essential to the ongoing sustainability of the creative and cultural industries. We are grateful for the support of the Minister for the Arts, The Hon. Elise Archer MP, and her comments last week in Tasmanian Parliament strongly advocating for this program. 

40 under 40: Most Influential Asian-Australian Awards 

Join us with Australia’s leaders in the arts, government, community, business, education and media sectors for a night of celebration recognising Australia’s most influential Asian-Australians under 40 years of age. 

Now in its fourth year, the 40 Under 40 seeks to confront Australia’s “bamboo ceiling” – the underrepresentation of Asian-Australians in leadership positions. As communities, companies and governments rethink and reshape leadership for the post-pandemic world, now is the time to foreground the significant contribution of Asian-Australians to this country. 

With the highest number of submissions ever received we applaud all the judges and those representing the arts and cultural categories in 2022, Diana Nguyen the overall winner from 2021 and Brian Ritchie, Curator of Mona Foma. Don’t miss this exciting announcement and great night of cross-sectoral connections. 

Tuesday October 4, 2022 

6pm at the Ivy Ballroom, Sydney 

Keynote speaker: Marina Go 

Performance: Rainbow Chan 

Regional // Regional - Sustaining cultural bridges across Australia and the Indo-Pacific

30 creative producers and directors from esteemed festivals and arts platforms across regional and remote Australia and the Indo-Pacific came together in Darwin in August in person and online for the launch of the new three-year program Regional // Regional. Special guest speakers included Asialink CEO Martine Letts, artist and producer Diat Alferink and Mr Luke Gosling OAM MP. The inaugural Alliance meeting was held during the Darwin Festival and included MONA FOMA (TAS), Mowanjum (WA), Castlemaine Festival (VIC), Northsite (QLD), Serendipity Arts (India) and Sanriku International Arts Festival (Japan). Program participants aim to benefit from ongoing knowledge exchanges whilst simultaneously building long-term relationships and developing new collaborations and programming content for their local audiences.  

“I’m really excited that they invited us so that we could put ourselves out there and be recognised all around the world and not just here in Australia... we want to represent our culture and our mob throughout Australia and the world, to tell our story, who we are and where we came from, where we belong, you know?” Sherika Duckhole, Cultural Advisor, Mowanjum. 

Regional // Regional continues with bi-monthly meetings, creative exchanges and opportunities for broader public engagement in 2023. 

Advancing Australia's arts & cultural plan

Asialink Arts welcomed the opportunity to provide a submission for consideration in the Australian government’s formulation of the new National Cultural Policy. We believe that arts and culture are fundamental articulations of humanity – they communicate who we are, how we show up and how we are seen. Our projected identities play a critical role in influencing perceptions abroad and shape public and private partnerships, collaborations and solutions to transnational issues. We look forward to new policies that respect and nurture meaningful and sustained international engagements elevating the capacity of the arts and cultural sectors and deepening connections with the Asia Pacific. 

Global resonance through local leadership

On August 24 Asialink hosted the annual Weary Dunlop Lecture and Awards at the Arts Centre Melbourne. Each year, in honour of Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop, we celebrate someone who has strengthened Australia’s engagement and commitment to the Indo-Pacific region - congratulations to the 2022 Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop Asia Medal recipient the Hon Julie Bishop. 

The evening commenced with the powerful truth-telling Welcome to Country by Dr Lois Peeler AM followed by a stirring performance by Butchella Songman Fred Leone. Fred has toured extensively across Asia and was cultural advisor for Asialink Arts’ Sonicbridge music exchange in 2021. Fred performed two poignant songs on the evening, reminding the audience of the powerful ways in which music communicates culture and transcends language. Asialink Arts would like to thank arts patrons Circle 5 Foundation, Kairu Chan, Dr Terry Wu and Yashian Schauble for generously hosting tables. 

Entanglement and the spaces in between at the

Asialink Leaders Summit

Asialink Arts curated and hosted panels and discussions at the Asialink Leaders Canberra Summit at the National Portrait Gallery in August with special guests Penny Grist, The National Portrait Gallery, Craig Ritchie, IATSIS, Kristy Monfries, producer, Dr Maya Haviland, ANU, Russell Storer, NGA and Elly Kent, New Mandala. The day explored Indigenous ways of seeing; long-term and non-linear engagements; communal and multifaceted ways of working in creative communities in Indonesia; and approaches to cross-cultural engagement and representation in national collections. 

Applications are currently open for the 2023 Asialink Leaders Program. Fellowships are again available to the cultural and creative industries.