Cross Encounters has delivered a diverse range of free and accessible public programs, community projects, workshops, forums and cross-cultural artistic initiatives, creating opportunities for artists, audiences and communities to connect through performance, dialogue and creative exchange.
Below are some highlights of our public programs and projects:
A Letter to Mum – Expressions of Love
A cross-cultural video relay project inviting people to express their love and gratitude for their mothers through self-created movement and video, encouraging participants to pass the message of love on to others.
Asian Australian International Art Forum
A cross-cultural arts forum bringing together artists, educators and practitioners to explore artistic exchange, cultural communication and the intersection of Chinese and Australian creative practices.
Ode to Solitude
A Mid-Autumn public arts project combining physical theatre, interactive performance and behind-the-scenes workshops to explore solitude, embodiment, creativity and human connection.
Awakening is an original short physical theatre work presented as part of Ode to Solitude, exploring female energy, inner transformation and emotional expression through movement, music and visual storytelling. Rooted in an embodied theatrical language, the work brings together physical performance and intercultural sensibilities to explore what can be expressed beyond words.
Musical Dumplings Feast
A free community arts event supported by the City of Yarra, bringing people from diverse cultural backgrounds together through live music, performance, food and intercultural celebration.
Spring Romance, the headlining performance at the Musical Dumplings Feast, is an original musical work following a young woman through a series of unexpected encounters during Chinese New Year. Blending contemporary performance with the distinctive sound of the guzheng, the work draws on Chinese cultural imagery while reimagining it through a contemporary cross-cultural theatrical language. Led by artist Olivia Wang, the work reflects Cross Encounters’ ongoing exploration across stage, screen and music.
Theatre Forum: Hi 2024
A public theatre and arts forum connecting emerging artists and audiences with industry practitioners through performance exploration, creative discussion and introductory drama experiences.
Asian Australian Drama Music Festival
A multicultural performing arts festival combining theatre, music, singing, rap and dance to present innovative Chinese-Australian intercultural performance and foster community participation.
Christmas Romance is an original intercultural physical theatre work that follows a young woman’s imaginative journey on Christmas Eve. Bringing together rap, singing, dance, physical theatre and theatrical storytelling, the work places Chinese-Australian cultural perspectives within a contemporary Christmas setting, creating an unexpected dialogue between different cultural traditions and performance forms. As the opening work of Cross Encounters’ original cross-cultural drama series, it marked an early step in the organisation’s continuing exploration of innovative, embodied and intercultural performance.
Audience Meet and Greet
A community gathering bringing artists and audiences together through cross-cultural performances, informal conversations and shared creative experiences.
Melbourne’s First Physical Theatre Open Social Forum
A public cross-cultural performing arts forum created to encourage social connection, artistic collaboration and intercultural understanding through physical theatre and open community participation.
Public Workshops & Open Rehearsals
A continuing series of accessible workshops and open rehearsals exploring physical theatre, movement, embodiment, storytelling, actor training and creative performance practice.
Selected workshops include Hello, Stanislavski!, Breaking the Fourth Wall?!, It’s Time for Physical Theatre, Relaxing Your Mind and Body, Creating Strong Physical Presence, and Engaging the Body in Storytelling Through Movement.
Our public programs provide accessible spaces for artistic exchange, cultural dialogue, creative learning and community connection, while reflecting Cross Encounters’ ongoing interest in innovative and intercultural performing arts.
For more details about our public programs and projects, please visit:
https://crossencounters.com.au/?page_id=98