News

Australian festivals’ evolving conversation with Asia

Festival directors from around the country respond to recent criticisms that they have turned their backs on our closest neighbours.

30 Aug 2016 12:00

Richard Watts

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Writing and Publishing

Cambodia’s Phare Circus make their Australian premiere at this year’s OzAsia Festival. Photo credit: Camille Malafosse.

In a recent ArtsHub feature, the Artistic Director of Darwin Festival, Andrew Ross, criticised the Australian arts sector – and in particular the major festivals – for failing to engage with the artistic cultures of our geographic region.

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts