The program of OzAsia’s Festival’s Weekend of Words has been released. The largest gathering of Asian and Asian Australian writers and thinkers in the country will come together from 8-10 November at Adelaide Festival Centre for a weekend of conversations, panels and workshops.
Curated by multi award-winning writer and comedian Sami Shah, the program features 24 free events from more than 35 Asian and Asian Australian creatives, including international guests Benjamin Chee and Wayne Rée from Singapore Writers Festival, Vajra Chandrasekera from Sri Lanka and South Korea’s Bora Chung and Anton Hur.
“This year, OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words promises to explore themes of identity, power, culture, community, gender, sexuality and more. I invite you to engage, reflect and enjoy the festival and the vibrant conversations it brings!” says Shah.
Visitors can celebrate grassroots publishing at the Zine Fair, browse at the pop-up Book Shop and the Street Library, and learn new skills in workshops covering writing in its various forms – from comedy to hip hop.
OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words will kick off with the Opening Night Gala on Friday 8 November with storytelling from Lawrence Leung, Qin Qin, Siang Lu and others, sharing their unique career journeys and the unexpected paths their lives have taken.
It will be bookended by the popular Closing Night Debate. Hosted by Shah on the evening of Sunday 10 November, the event sees comedians and authors including Jason Chong, Benjamin Law, Sarah Malik, Jennifer Wong and many more debate the contentious topic of ‘Chinese Food vs Indian Food’.
ABC Radio National show Stop Everything! will take over Adelaide Festival Centre’s Space Theatre with a live broadcast hosted by Beverley Wang, with Law as a special guest.
Aspiring writers and seasoned storytellers can also partake in some free workshops: DIY Publishing: Zine Making Workshop with Jessica Zeng, Rhythms and Rhymes: Writing Rap and Hip Hop with L-FRESH The LION, Crafting Comedy: Writing Humour with Jennifer Wong and Perfecting the Pitch: Screenwriting Workshop with Mithila Gupta.
OzAsia Festival Artistic and Executive Producer Joon-Yee Kwok says, “Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to spend an inspiring weekend with brilliant Asian and Asian Australian writers and thinkers. Hear their unique insights on the big ideas sparking creativity and shaping our world today, and be immersed in uplifting discussions and debates on culture and creativity.”
OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words is not just about books; screenwriters will delve into film and TV in Script to Screen: The Craft of Screenwriting. The world of graphic novels and comics will also be explored in Speech Bubbles: The Art of the Graphic Novel and humour, stereotypes and cultural expectations examined in Asians Are Funny.
Asia Society Australia will explore the modern Asian Australian identity, with leading Asian Australian voices from diplomacy, business and the arts sharing their insights on strengthening Australia-Asia ties. The Future of Writing, meanwhile, will ponder emerging literary trends, new genres and how authors are redefining narratives to reflect a diverse and evolving world, and Shah’s book club will focus on Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.
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Those attending OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words can also immerse themselves in the OzAsia Festival program. Over the last three days of the Festival, patrons can wander through free exhibitions including Hello, how am I?, Wish you were here and Saree Selections, visit the Lucky Dumpling Market, dive into the shiny world of K-Pop with Aussie K-Poppers United Concert & Seoul Vibe and watch hip-hop powerhouse L-FRESH The LION close out the festival with a free performance at Lucky Dumpling Market on the OzAsia Festival stage.
Weekend of Words will take place 8-10 November 2024. The program details and tickets are now available.
