Emerge in the West is back for another year showcasing some incredible talent rising from Melbourne’s western suburbs. Hosted by Multicultural Arts Victoria, this event will bring some soul and colour into Footscray’s Nicholson Street by featuring those with a flair for all things music, fashion, art, dance and spoken word. This event will surely be a sight to see, with performances and acts across three stages, a large craft market and special deals from local traders.
As an annual program that pops up in different locations across Victoria, ‘Emerge’ is an important event to those with refugee backgrounds, as it aims to empower and form connections between creative artists, and multicultural communities.
Kicking off the 2016 Festival on the main stage will be an African Star dance and drumming collaboration with Aboriginal didgeridoo musicians, beside a Hakka by Te Whare Tutaua O Te hononga Ki Wikitoria. Visitors can expect some more great musical talent played throughout the day, such as a new Majestic Vietnamese band and dance group, the Abyei Sudanese Band paired with the iconic voice of Ajak Kwai, and Ethiopian-Jazz talents, JAzmaris together with Nhatty Man’s new band, Gara.
Nicholson Street will be host to many art and craft stores filled with unique items by these talented creators, which will continue inside Victoria University’s Metro West venue. With an extensive amount of stalls lined up for showing, the festival is also offering up a huge range of activities and demonstrations including kids’ tribal jewellery workshops, a textile exhibition with PNG Bilum artist, Vicki Kinnai, who will host weaving demonstrations.
Don’t forget to check out a special event of spoken word and jazz from some of our best local musical storytellers with their freestyle rapping like Soreti Kadir and “Words in the West”.
Emerge in the West is a free event and will be held on Saturday June 4, 1-6pm at Nicholson Street, Footscray.
More information can be found HERE.
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