OzAsia Festival’s final Weekend of Words takes place from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October at Adelaide Festival Centre, bringing three days of free conversations, sharp comedy, literary ideas and lively debate.
Curated by award-winning writer and comedian Sami Shah, the program brings together some of Australia’s most exciting Asian and Asian Australian writers, comedians and thinkers.
“At our final Weekend of Words, we ask writers, journalists, artists and comedians to explore AI, memoir, food, resilience, identity, place, healing, media and reading,” Shah says. “It’s an ambitious exploration of who gets heard, who gets believed, who gets to belong, and who is told to go back where they came from. There will be arguments, recommendations, grudges, and hope. And, of course, lots and lots of books.”
Friday 23 October
The weekend opens with Sashi Perera’s Night School at Dunstan Playhouse. Comedians Sashi Perera, Kushi Venkatesh, AJ Lamarque and Harry Jun are joined by actual expert Arjun Singh Chahal for an evening of curious obsessions, niche interests and plenty of laughs. Homework is optional.
Saturday 24 October
Saturday delivers a full day of conversation across Space Theatre, Artspace and Dunstan Playhouse. Benjamin Law, Yumi Stynes, Beverley Wang, Durkhanai Ayubi, Nam Le, Antoinette Lattouf and Jennifer Wong are among the voices taking to the stage.
Sessions include The Woman Who Becomes the Problem, This Memoir Is Not About You and How Much Is Your Asian-ness Worth?, unpacking questions of power, identity and assumption. Multiculturalism Was Better When It Was Just Dinner chews over cultural belonging, while The Newsroom Is a Person Now examines the changing media landscape.
This AI Panel Is Already Out of Date asks where artificial intelligence is taking us. Romantasy Is Saving the World looks at the literary phenomenon capturing readers’ imaginations, and Getting Back to Reading considers how we reconnect with the books we love.
Later, The Hill I Will Die On gives panellists the chance to make the case for opinions they hold most strongly, and This Panel Will Heal You explores the relationship between stories and healing.
The day rounds out with a Weekend of Words favourite: The Greatest Debate: “That You Should All Go Back Where You Came From”. Comedians Jo Gowda, Takashi Wakasugi, Michael Hing, Kushi Venkatesh, AJ Lamarque and Jennifer Wong debate exactly where you go back to and why, with Jason Chong moderating.
Sunday 25 October
Weekend of Words Family Day comes to Lucky Dumpling Market from 1pm to 5pm with free story reading sessions and family-friendly arts and crafts. Grab a dumpling, bring the grandchildren and settle in for some stories and creative fun.
Every event across the weekend is free. For the full program, visit ozasiafestival.com.au
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