If you live in Brisbane, you’ve heard all about the city’s connections with Asia; we are the home of the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and the new Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival, after all. Since 2013, the BrisAsia Festival has also been on that list, paying homage to the culture of our neighbours.
This year’s program features another mix of traditional and contemporary Asian arts, channelled into events across Brisbane. It all kicks off at the Opening Night party on February 6 at Reddacliff Place, as headlined by The Bombay Royale, but the fun really is just beginning.
Dance in cosplay to DJs, cook a variety of South-East Asian desserts or learn how to play Mahjong. Hear traditional Japanese music in Mt Coot-tha’s Japanese garden, watch Asian short films in Chinatown for Lunar New Year, or paddle a 12-metre dragon boat from Breakfast Creek. Then there’s our pick: the too-cute-for words world of amigurumi — or knitted and crocheted small stuffed animals — as found in the city’s oldest laneways.