FOLIO81 The Australian Ambassador Chile - Nicholas Kotsiras MP - Virginia Grenville, Carla Hon. John Cain Minister for Multicultural Medina and Melbourne - MAV Patron Affairs and Citizenship Ska Orchestra DJ Sizzle with MASSIVE ulticultural Arts Victoria is very MAP FEST is also building partnerships with the group on stage. It was an exciting Maware that international connectivity business sector in Malaysia, gaining collaboration and built strong links with the is a key aspect for increasing cultural sponsorships and collaborative relationships. local arts community, the Festival and Australian at the Arts Centre Curve Bar - Dec 2010 diplomacy and opportunities for local artists. TYC in partnership with MAV also initiated Embassy in Santiago. MAV believes in the benefits of escalating the relationships with the Australia-Malaysia Whilst the Chilean audiences in Santiago profile and presence of culturally diverse artists Tabura Institute (AMI) and Australian Embassy in (20,000 plus) were enjoying the unique sound from Australia internationally and actively Malaysia through the Melaka festival. of The Melbourne Ska Orchestra, more than develops strategic partnerships and programs to Madre Monte MAP Fest provides an ideal platform for the 5,000 Australia Day punters in Melbourne promote high quality culturally diverse celebration of Australia’s cultural diversity and kicked salsa steps with the son of The King of Australian art at an international level. excellence in the performing arts. TYC Mambo, Tito Puente Jr, at the Myer Music Bowl Arts and Performance Festivals all over the partnership has a shared long-termed vision along with John and Nancy Cain (MAV’s patron) world have over the years have built up a and endeavour to connect with its diverse local Heidi Victoria Parliamentary Secretary to the strong artistic environment and tremendous communities and support independent art Premier and Assisting the Premier with the Arts following. They have become more than events making. It has the potential to foster greater and the Hon Nicholas Kotsiras Minister for that provide the artists as well as the audiences positive exchange and understanding of diverse Multicultural Affairs & Citizenship. an opportunity to get together to promote their practices and beliefs through the arts. Mix It Up continues with a series of events in individual styles of performance, exchange Santiago A Mil is a month long extravaganza of the Spiegel Garden at the Arts Centre plus the ideas, discover and promote new talents. They street theatre, music and entertainment in remount of Kutcha Edwards in yuyukatha and have become major cultural tourism initiatives Chiles capital. The festival, now in its 18th year, our Black Harmony Gathering at the Fairfield for the cities and countries in which they are Black Harmony Artists brought over 70 cultural events, from Chile and Amphitheatre, Premiers Gala Dinner, Viva held. Most importantly, they serve to educate, around the world, to the streets of Santiago – Victoria just to name a few events to give voice strengthen and develop international cultural many completely free. One of these was our to our culturally diverse talent in Victoria. We relations, creating positive dialogue as well as very own Melbourne Ska Orchestra in also have an exhibition Pilgrimage with John Mi long-term markets for cultural exchange. partnership with MAV. Ten talented Melbourne at the Fo Guang Yuan gallery with stunning MAV has supported artists to travel to far parts musicians travelled to Chile to present three photography of Tibet. of the globe including Germany, Ethiopia, Asia, concerts across the City and one Australia Day All these events reinforce MAV’s vital role in the Spain and Chile to participate in events and Concert at the Australian Ambassadors arts and Australia’s standing as a stable, festivals. MAV recently has been involved in two residence in Santiago. Santiago A Mil Festival sophisticated, innovative and creative nation international festivals- one a very established also proved to be an excellent opportunity for with a rich and diverse culture that brings festival Santiago A Mil Festival in Chile and a cultural exchange between the two nations, excitement and colour not only to Australian new budding contemporary arts festival the with nine members of the local Chilean audiences but to international audiences too. Melaka Arts and Performance Festival in ensemble - the Santiago Downbeat - joining Malaysia. their Australian counterparts to create a mega- JILL MORGAN Executive Director The Melaka Art and Performance Festival (MAP FEST) is a new annual event held in November and is initiating a long-term relationship with Tony Yap Company (TYC) Australia in partnership with Multicultural Arts Victoria. It has been endorsed by the Chief Minister of Melaka and the Federal Minister of Culture and Tourism. Melaka’s recent UNESCO World Heritage City status is the core of the focus of this arts driven festival and taps into the great potential for Australians as ambassadors through the arts. It will build strong artistic and collaborative links in the region. The tourism industry is fast growing in Melaka since World Heritage City status and the festival is seen as an opportunity to build links. Neda Rahmani and Jali Buba Kuyateh 2 MASSIVE 3 Mambo at the Bowl! Australia Day concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl “That was the best concert I’ve ever stage. His backing band, Salcedo, rocked the songs to prove that her talent is enduring seen at the Bowl. Totally awesome. I roof of the Bowl and was comprised of all and worthy of such a prestigious stage. A didn’t want to stop dancing.” Australian based musicians. Puente Jr also celebrity in her home country of El Salvador, “I can’t believe it was free. I wish we offered kind words of support and Ileana has been in inspiration to other could party Latino style like this every encouragement for donations toward the political refugees in the local Latin week.” flood relief appeal, showing real concern for community since migrating to Australia. “Viva Australia Day – Latino style!” Victorians and Queenslanders alike. Talented local Cuban talent, Aloy Junco, also From the minute DJ and MC Saul Zavarce helped warm the crowd up at the start of the ver 5000 excited punters poured took to the stage, the classic mambo and show with a Salsa lesson. They didn’t need through the gates of the Sidney Myer O salsa rhythms did not stop flowing for over much more encouragement, from the first Music Bowl this Australia Day to join two hours. The local talent really stepped up instance, the crowd filled the dancefloor to in one of the biggest parties MAV has ever to the plate with passionate music and dance enjoy the live sounds but it was well worth thrown! performances that left the audience literally sitting down between bands. For lovers of The star of the show was international guest, begging for more. dance, Mambo at the Bowl! was a hit. Two Tito Puente Jr, who delivered a dynamic of Melbourne’s hottest salsa companies – Highlights in the first set included the performance that did justice to his late Spin City Dance and Melbourne Salsa graced supremely polished 70’s Latin rhythms of father’s prolific musical legacy. From the the stage with fully choreographed routines Melbourne favourites Orquesta Del Barrio. Spanish Quarter of Harlem, New York, Tito including professional duets and advanced Lead by the charismatic Gulaberto Casas, Del Puente (senior) had a career that spanned troupes. From stunning, sparkly pink Barrio have been growing their fanbase on over 50 years and brought Latin American costumes to James Bond style suspenders the club and festival circuit since 1994 with rhythms to millions of people worldwide, and hats, the glitz and glamour by our local their unique and infectious Afro-Caribbean including Melbourne. His son has worked dancers really raised the barr! and Latin sound. Ray Barreto, Ruben Blades, hard to sustain the joy of his father’s music Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo, and Tito Puente Beyond the stage, a range of cultural stalls since his passing in 2000, and is now an are just some of the artists that inspire their and food vendors selected from Melbourne’s internationally touring artist in his own right. music. vibrant Latin and Central American Puente Jr loved connecting with the local communities offered everything from churros Del Barrio’s special guest vocalist, the talent and showed a very keen interest in to Peruvian finger puppets, and from stunning Ileana Posas, belted out a couple of using his profile to support the locals on Brazilian BBQ to Colombian pottery. 4 5 DJ Honey and Mz Rizk Photographs by John Mi Photographs Righteous Pilgrimage n December 2010 MAV launched a Music took a group of five young people Beat showcased the hard work that they had new insights into the Tibetan culture Inew human rights festival. Righteous from culturally diverse backgrounds to put in all year, supporting other emerging was held at Signal youth space on South Africa to explore multiculturalism, artists like Angeezy and Culture Connect. n 1st February, the thriving The opening of the exhibition saw elated reflects the artist's deep connection to this Northbank over two days had two the effects of racial segregation and the Grrilla Step headlined the event as the sun partnership between Multicultural Arts guests who celebrated a harmonious event unique land of high altitude. components. Rights at the Round Table similarity between our histories. These went down over the city, mixing the tribal O Victoria and the Fo Guang Yuan Art with the presence of the Deputy Consul was a forum held to address the way two young leaders of their communities percussion of Papua New Guinean log drums This is the fifth exhibition presented in Gallery unveiled its latest exhibition titled General, from the Consulate-General of the human rights affects the First Australians, spoke of racial stereotypes and how they with the hip hop and krump beats of DJ partnership by Multicultural Arts Victoria and Pilgrimage by Chinese-born photographer People's Republic of China in Melbourne, Mr.