February 2016 sees the Brisbane Powerhouse host the Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM), the leading biennial industry event for Australian and New Zealand performing arts.
Providing local and international presenters, agents and industry influences with live works from Australian and New Zealand contemporary performing artists, APAM's works span a wide range of genres and cultural backgrounds, including: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts. APAM showcases the variety and diversity of Australia and NZ's artistic talents; and in 2016 year will feature 43 companies presenting 28 performances, including: full-length productions and excerpts, as well as 15 work-in-development pitches.
Established in 1994 by the Australian Council for the Arts, APAM has been highly-successful in showcasing local performing arts to a local and international industry audience, increasing awareness of local artists and companies and increasing their chances of international success, with APAM in previous years leading to both national and overseas tours for performers.
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“It was exciting to see one of our leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts organisations Black Arm Band’s full-length work 'Dirtsong' secure a 6-city tour to China in August 2014 as well as a 6-performance tour in Singapore and Taipei in August this year and a Canadian tour as a result of APAM 2014,” says Australia Council for the Arts CEO Tony Grybowski.
Local Brisbane performers include: circus company Circa's production 'Carnival Of The Animals'; dance troupe The Farm's 'Cockfight'; interactive dance theatre performance 'The Inagural Dance Affair'; Liesel Zink's public art and sound piece 'The Stance' and sonic artist Luke Jaaniste's 'Trance Piano.' These performers will be joined by many more from around the country and across the Tasman as APAM shows off not just the best in local art and music, but the beauty of Australia itself to international delegates.
APAM 2016 brings Brisbane to the forefront of the Asia-Pacific arts industry, as performers take to the stage not just at the iconic Powerhouse, but at local partner venues including: Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Judith Wright Centre Of Contemporary Arts and the Queensland University Of Technology Gardens Theatre. Taking place over five days in the warmth of the Brisbane summer, APAM at the Brisbane Powerhouse also coincides with the World Theatre Festival 2016, the venue's contemporary performing arts festival.
Triumphs And Other Alternatives Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Graham Quirk welcomes the event to Brisbane, praising the spotlight it shines on Australian art and its benefit for local economy. “Brisbane will play host to more than 600 national and international delegates and more than 250 artists for five days when they arrive in Brisbane in February next year to celebrate the performing arts. APAM 2016 will bring positive economic benefits for hotels, restaurants and other flow-on areas and will continue to build on Brisbane’s reputation as a destination for conferences, business and the arts,” he says.
The national music and arts scene has so many unique and innovative voices, and APAM is set to bring them not just to local audiences, but to international industry partners and potentially the world.
The Australian Performing Arts Market is at Brisbane Powerhouse 22-26 February.
