This Australia Day, Arts Centre Melbourne will celebrate the finale of its huge HOME project with artists from Australia and around the world who have chosen to make Melbourne their home. Our House – Australia Day at Home will be a joyous event featuring diverse music, dance and workshops.
Programmed in association with Multicultural Arts Victoria, Our House – Australia Day at Home will feature The Lalibelas, Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie, The Ottoman Mehter Military Band of Australia, The Cambodian Space Project, Ajak Kwai, Alex and Nilusha, Tama Tatau, Dya Singh and hosted by the inimitable Mikelangelo.
Explore the coffee and tea lounges at the top of the lawn for stories and conversations with Multicultural Arts Victoria artists and performers and enjoy the ambience of the Turkish Tea Lounge, Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony and Chai Tent. MAV artist Bushra Hassan will be joining our HOME artists to lead participants in the final of our little house workshops.
Arts Centre Melbourne has a huge focus on free participation activities for the community. Last summer, Arts Centre Melbourne filled the city with music when beautifully decorated pianos graced Melbourne’s laneways, bridges and lawns for Play Me, I’m Yours, – inspiring spontaneous recitals by about 100,000 people over 18 days.
This year, 7000 little houses – decorated by communities from over Melbourne and Victoria –will fill Melbourne’s streets, parks and favourite city spots for people to discover, move, share and follow on their unique journeys.
Devised by Melbourne artist and designer Darryl Cordell and Arts Centre Melbourne, HOME explores and celebrates the idea of “home” and what it means to individuals, families and communities. More than 80 groups – including community arts organisations, councils, schools, The Royal Children’s Hospital, immigration detention centres, disability service providers and transitional housing groups – have decorated homes.
Home is the second of four large-scale public participation events produced by Arts Centre Melbourne as part of the Betty Amsden Participation Program, a four-year creative program supported by a $1 million grant which seeks to celebrate the creativity in all Melburnians.
Our House – Australia Day at Home takes place on Monday 26 January: 12.00pm – 4.00pm For more information, visit: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au for details.
Image: Little Houses – Photo – Andy Drewitt