Brisbane's Melting Pot

A WORLD OF FREE MUSIC




There’s a world of music bubbling away in Brisbane’s diverse communities. This melting pot of multi-culturalism will be celebrated during the monthly series of free entertainment and activities to be held at QPAC’s Cascade Court and Melbourne Street Green.

Traversing the globe from Asia to Europe, Africa and the Americas, Brisbane’s Melting pot will feature an array of ethnic delicacies from local communities including traditional fare, arts and craft, new world music and dance.

Gather your family and friends and join the global citizens of Brisbane’s new world city as we celebrate diversity, community and culture through the universal languages of food and music.

Where Cascade Court and Melbourne Street Green, QPAC
When 11.30am to 5pm

Immerse yourself in the sounds and aromas of mystical Asia with rhythmic Bhangara, bamboo flutes, exotic strings, driving percussion and the phenomenon of contemporary Bollywood.
Saturday 13+Sunday 14 February
Saturday 13+Sunday 14 March

Folkloric traditions, classical compositions and contemporary pop music come together to mark the European influence on a western culture steeped in delicious diversity.
Saturday 10+Sunday 11 April
Saturday 8+Sunday 9 May

Return to the roots of all music with an exciting world of song and dance beating a trail from tribal Africa to the idyllic rhythms of the South Pacific.
Saturday 5+Sunday 6 June
Saturday 10 + Sunday 11 July

Traverse the globe footloose and carefree with a gypsy gathering drawing from the Mediterranean, the Baltics, the Middle East and Central Asia to create an energetic celebration of a colourful life of travels.
Saturday 7 + Sunday 8 August
Saturday 18+ Sunday 19 September

Party with the sounds of the streets as we shake up the music that has inspired revolutions, celebrated freedom and opened our hearts and minds to the ryhthms of carnivale.
Saturday 16+Sunday 17 October
Saturday 13 + Sunday 14 November



Presented by QPAC with the support of BEMAC

VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ

Big Planet

Tue 19 - Wed 20 Jan 2010



This January sees the first time visit to Australian shores for African guitarist/singer/songwriter, Vieux Farka Touré who is set to perform an intimate show at Brisbane Powerhouse.

Mixing reggae, funk and R&B, Vieux Farka Touré breaks new ground as one of the first world music artists to embrace the sounds of rock. The son of African music legend, the late Ali Farka Touré, he draws on West African Malian traditions, and incorporates his father’s signature desert style blues to create his own unique style and sound.

Please note BEMAC's operating hours for 2010 will be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am - 4pm. BEMAC reopens for business on Tuesday 19th January.

Media Release: BEMAC hosting Multicultural Arts Round Table

Monday, November 9th 2009

Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts

2pm-6pm


Multicultural Arts and Mobility: A Queensland Perspective

BEMAC are honored to announce that they will be hosting a Multicultural Arts Round Table at Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts next Monday, November 9th 2009.

The theme for the roundtable is “Multicultural Arts and Mobility: A Queensland Perspective”

In attendance will be delegates from around Australia that make up the board of Kultour (the national touring body for Multicultural Arts) alongside representatives from government agencies including Brisbane City Council, Logan City Council, Arts Queensland, Australia Council for the Arts, regional Queensland, venues and presenters.

The roundtable has been designed as to provide a key opportunity to air and discuss the issues and opportunities that Queensland's culturally and linguistically diverse artists face. This is in conbination with the opprtunity for artists to ask questions of and listen to a panel of key industry representatives and artists with a range of touring experiences.

It is anticipated that this mini-conference will open up the dialogue for Multicultural Arts here in Queensland and that

some on-going relationships and opportunities will develop that see Queensland artists with more national and international opportunities.

The event will also feature showcase appearances by some of Qld’s finest multicultural artists inclduing “Dheeraj” Showcase (music), “Paradise” Showcase (theatre), “Anthony Garcia” Showcase (music), “Walisuma” Showcase (music) and “Baala Baajo” Showcase (music), as well as photography and visual art from Salaam Elmerebi and Tewodros Fekadu. Panelists will include:

Anthony Garcia (Musician) - MULTICULTURAL ARTS QLD AND ACCESS

Salam Elmerebi (Visual Artist) - MULTICULTURAL ARTS QLD AND ACCESS

Tanya Martin - Brisbane Powerhouse – PARTERNERSHIP MODEL FOR MULTICULTURAL ARTS QLD

Sebastian Flynn – Events Manager, Department of Communities, Director, Qld Multicultural Festival – FESTIVALS AND CULTURAL PLATFORMS FOR CULTURALLY DIVERSE ARTS IN QLD

Ruth Hodgman – Director, The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts – DIVERSITY IN AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Jo Pratt – Director, BEMAC – ROLE OF BEMAC AS PEAK BODY – REGIONAL AND METROPOLITAN

Michael Whiticker - Artistic Director, Music Centre North Queensland – REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE MULTICULTURAL ARTS

Denise Foley – CEO, Q Music – FUNDING and other support, TOURING, Q Song, AWME etc

Jill Morgan – CEO, Multicultural Arts Victoria – GETTING OUT OF QLD

World by Night

BEMAC (Brisbane ENTERPRISING MULTICULTURAL ARTS Centre) is proud to announce its inaugural WORLD BY NIGHT FESTIVAL. Held 6pm till 10pm, Fri Nov 20th in the beautiful world heritage listed waterfront gardens @ Yungaba in Kangaroo Point, World By Night is a free entry, family friendly festival featuring contemporary world music, dance, cuisine and craft.



Performances: The View From Madeleine's Couch, Vessels, Tibet 2 Timbuk 2, Walisuma

Workshops: Beat Boxing, Latin Salsa Dance, African Drumming, Mordern Contemp Dance w Black Dove, Tai Chi - QIGONG and Bollywood Dhamaka dance.

Held under the stars, World By Night will see the historic waterfront gardens and buildings underneath the Story Bridge come to life for the last time before private development; with music, dance, workshops, foods stalls, arts & crafts and information stalls in an exquisite celebration of the important arts, cultural and cuisine benefits that migrants and refugees have brought to Queensland culture.

Stalls will feature foods from around the world, including Pacific, African, Asian, western European, Eastern European, and the America’s. There will also be a fresh food stall which stock unusual foods from Indian spices to exotic vegetables and fruits. Stalls will have information available on the dishes sold about the ingredients and their origins, how these traditional dishes might have been made 150 years ago and how they might have changed to suit the Australian version.

Art and Craft stalls will also feature across the market’s with high quality diverse craft from numerous world cultures on display- the perfect Christmas shopping alternative!! There will also be free Henna Tattooing all night.

The festival opening also will feature an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony and a welcome to country from the local indigenous community.

FRIDAY 20TH NOVEMBER

6PM – 10PM @ Yungaba

120 Main St, Kangaroo Point (Free Entry Family Event)

The Saruzu Quartet with Kacey Patrick

BEMAC are proud co-presenters of The Saruzu Quartet with Kacey Patrick at Brisbane Powerhouse.

Excellent Event

BEMAC is proud to support this excellent event in the heart of the south side. Please come along and enjoy a slice of life in this vibrant and culturally diverse community!




Bring the family!

BEMAC presents Karalbo - One for All

You are cordially invited to the premiere of "Karalbo". Karalbo is the culmination of year two of BEMAC's One 4 All project, funded by the Australia Council for the Arts, art in a multicultural Australia initiative. An original musical theatre piece which has been collaboratively created by young people from Sudanese, Samoan, Papua New Guinean, Indigenous and Australian backgrounds; Karalbo will take you on a journey, trekking across Sudan, singing in the Pacific and chewing bubble-gum in Australia. These young people have come to together to create both a show and friendships that will last a life-time....Karalbo, all together!


‘Karalbo’, an Aboriginal word meaning ‘togetherness’ is a fitting name for this project exploring the journeys of young Queenslanders from diverse backgrounds.

These young people have collaborated with professional artists such as Brisbane musician Roz Pappalardo, and each other, to tell their stories through music and drama. The performance will trace journeys from around the world, meeting in the city of Brisbane and looking to the future.

BEMAC's One 4 All project funded by the Australia Council's Arts in a Multicultural Australia Initiative.

Get your tickets at the door or on Brisbane Powerhouse site - http://www.brisbanepowerhouse.org/events/view/one_4_all_karalbo