The 3rd Extraordinary Asian Arts Festival in New Zealand Grandly Held in Christchurch: Celebrating a Multicultural Symphony.
- EUCA
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 27
The 3rd Extraordinary Asian Arts Festival, co-hosted by the Everyone is an Artist Foundation and the Christchurch Arts Centre, was grandly held at the Christchurch Arts Centre on July 13, 2025. The event drew a large crowd, attracting over 5,000 local and international visitors who gathered under the winter sun to enjoy a rich celebration of culture and art.
As a prominent Asian cultural and arts festival in New Zealand’s South Island, the Extraordinary Asian Arts Festival has been successfully held for three consecutive years since its inception in 2023. This year’s festival featured a wide range of artistic disciplines—including music, dance, theatre, fashion, installation art, and visual arts—fully showcasing the creativity and artistic spirit of the Asian community.
Mr. Lu Yi, the festival’s Chief Planner and Artistic Director, stated: “Extraordinary is never something distant or unattainable; it exists between you and me. The Asian community possesses rich cultural heritage and brilliant artistic talents, which deserve greater development and recognition. This is precisely the inspiration behind the Extraordinary Asian Arts Festival.” The organizers have woven this philosophy throughout the entire event, infusing the festival with warmth and profound cultural meaning.
Live performances on the main stage ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., opening with a set by the Asian rock band Cornermental. The program featured successive performances, including a Bangladeshi dance troupe, the Japanese drumming ensemble Takumi, a fashion show, a traditional Gamelan orchestra, children’s puppet theatre, K-pop street dance, sign-language dance, Filipino folk dance, and Indian Bollywood music, keeping the audience engaged and applauding enthusiastically throughout the day.
Three works by the Bloom Art team—Spring Breeze Dreams, Alley in the Misty Rain, and Sign Language Dance—moved audiences through cross-media expression, showcasing on both formal and conceptual levels how young Asian artists respond to questions of identity, culture, and the spirit of the times.
That afternoon, two ticketed concerts were held at the Cloisters Studio and the Great Hall, both of which were fully packed. Featuring performances by Simurgh Music School, the Spectrum music ensemble, and young musicians from multiple countries, the concerts presented works blending Eastern and Western traditions, highlighting the diversity and resonance within New Zealand’s artistic landscape.
Meanwhile, as one of the festival’s key projects, the Diversity & Symbiosis International Exhibition was held from July 9 to 18 at the Pūmanawa Community Gallery of the Arts Centre. The exhibition brought together contemporary Asian artists from over ten countries and regions, including China, Japan, India, Iran, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. Featuring works in ink, oil painting, installation, photography, and mixed media, the exhibition explored cultural fusion and identity from the perspective of immigrants. An artist talk held on the afternoon of July 13 attracted numerous local art enthusiasts, educators, and international visitors, fostering lively exchanges and interaction.
Organizing Committee of the 3rd Extraordinary Asian Arts Festival, New Zealand：
Chief Planner / Artistic Director: Lu Yi (Roy Lu)
Executive Manager: Kathy
Artistic Producer: Katie Martin
Marketing Directors: Emily, Shelley Erskine
Stage Supervisors: Kirsten Clement, Chiara
Graphic Design: Abbie Pickrill
Sound Director: Chiara
Music / Sound Executive: Mark (from Spectrum)
Coordinators: Ping Li, Liam Gunson, Daniel
The festival received strong support from New Zealand’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the Chinese Consulate in Christchurch, the Christchurch City Council, EGL Group, the Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS), and the Rata Foundation. Numerous political figures, community leaders, and representatives from cultural institutions attended the event, offering high praise for the Asian community’s positive contributions to New Zealand society.
The Everyone is an Artist Foundation stated: “Art is humanity’s gentlest response to the world.” Upholding the core philosophy that “everyone can be an artist,” the Foundation will continue to promote international exchanges and local development for Asian artists, expanding cultural spaces with greater depth and breadth through the resonance of multiculturalism.
Highlights from the Festival:
Comments