Emerge Festival will celebrate its 11th anniversary of presenting new refugee and emerging artists who have recently settled in Australia.
For two months the festival will showcase talented artists from Melbourne who come from refugee communities and diverse cultures and intends to highlight the colour and intricacy of the unique identities in the city.
Emerge prides itself on its ability to provide an opportunity for those of all ages and backgrounds to share and celebrate cultures from Africa to the Far East and is the only festival of its nature.
Punters can expect a series of performances and cultural experiences encompassing music, dance, visual arts, exotic foods, ancient crafts and ceremonies to commemorate United Nations World Refugee Day and celebrate Refugee Week in Victoria.
The Festival will be launched in conjunction with Emerge in the West, a massive one-day cultural celebration featuring the signature Emerge Main Event and a showcase of Hazaragi culture at the Omagh Celebrations. Footscray's finest African dance grooves, Sudanese reggae, Ethiopian jazz, Azmari banter, Somali pop and spoken word will also feature at Emerge in the West.
Emerge Main Event will offer engaging workshops, sounds from Samoa to Afghanistan and a artisans marketplace. Two visual arts exhibitions from award winning photojournalist Barat Ali Batoor and Eritrean painter Michael Adonai will depict aspects of the refugee experience and Melbourne's Playback Theatre will enact real life stories of resilience, courage and hope from refugee community members.
The festival is open to people from all cultures who have a desire to make music, sing, dance, learn, showcase and be proud of their culture, tell stories and make long-lasting connections.
Emerge Festival commences May 17 until July 5.
