CIC Higher Education students wanting to experience the Melbourne cultural scene can check in with Arts Centre Melbourne, Study Melbourne, Victorian Multicultural Commission and other venues showcasing theatre, dance, music and art. These cultural presentations make it a fun and educational way to assimilate into Australian culture.
On 5 March, students were treated to the world premiere of Samsara, right after the International Student Welcome ceremonies at the Arts Centre Melbourne. Study Melbourne, a Victorian Government initiative that supports international students in Melbourne, partnered with the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts (Asia TOPA) to welcome international students to the city.
Asia TOPA’s performing arts festival runs until the end of March. It will be presenting cultural themes from the Asia-Pacific region, such as Saigon on 12-15 March. An endearing saga that spans four decades of Vietnamese history, this stage play is set in a restaurant as French colonialists left Vietnam’s capital, Saigon, in 1956 and Vietnamese exiles returned to their homeland in 1996. Directed by Caroline Guiela Nguyen, a French-Vietnamese who spent two years gathering stories in Paris and Saigon, the play depicts “a searing and evocative portrait of lives uprooted and homes remade.”
Other Asia TOPA presentations include:
Dance
- Not Today’s Yesterday at The Engine Room in Bendigo on 10-11 March and at the Shirley Burke Theatre on 12-13 March
- Ibu Ibu Belu at the Dancehouse in Carlton North on 27-28 March
Contemporary Performance
- Virtual Intimacy at the Martyn Myer Arena on 12-15 March
Participatory Performance
- The Southbank Dawn Raga at the Arts Centre Melbourne Main Lawn on 20 March
Music
- Lovebomb by Terre Thaemlitz at The Substation on 12 March with a survey exhibition which runs until 17 April
Theatre
- Torch the Place at the Arts Centre Melbourne on 7 March
- Oedipus Schmoedipus at the Union House Theatre on 19-20 March
Free cultural events
Melbourne offers a lot of free cultural events this month. Students can check out the following:
| DATE | EVENT | VENUE |
| 8 March | Nepalese Street Festival An event featuring Nepalese street food, music and culture | Federation Square |
| 14 March | Two Worlds Festival A celebration of indigenous and western cultures that make up Australia | Birrarung Marr |
| 15 March | St Patrick’s Family Fun Day 2020 A celebration of Irish culture and heritage | Edinburgh Gardens, Alfred Cres, Fitzroy, North Victoria |
| 20 March | Salon Series: Independent Intercultural Producing A roundtable discussion with independent producers working across cultures in Australia, Asia-Pacific and beyond | Theatre Network Australia in Southbank |
| 21 March | Flavour Fest A celebration of music, culture and cuisine | Frontier Park, Rockbank |
| 22 March | Fromage a Trois Cheese Festival A showcase of artisan cheese and local produce | Werribee Park Mansion |
| 29 March | Victoria’s Multicultural Festival A celebration of Victoria’s cultural diversity which includes dance workshops, a cinema and cultural performances | Queen Victoria Market |
| 18 April | South Asian Festival An event highlighting the rich culture of South Asian countries | Birrarung Marr |