Asia TOPA
Free live music, art, screenings and performance, celebrating the return of Australia’s triennial of Asia-Pacific performance.
As part of Asia TOPA this summer, the Square will be abuzz with free, open-air events for music-lovers, the creatively curious, as well as children and families.
Featuring international artists, major headliners, an Indonesian breakfast party and a project that connects children in Melbourne to children in Korea – this Asia TOPA will be about conversation, the sharing of ideas and getting in the groove.
Presented by Asia TOPA, Arts Centre Melbourne and Fed Square.
21 February, 7.30pm–10.30pm | Main Square
With Asia TOPA, we’re putting on an epic opening concert to kick off the festival, featuring a major headliner (yet to be announced), as well as Tokyo-based electro-jazz fusion group TAMTAM and Japanese-born, Melbourne-based DJ and selector, Shio.
Sunday 23 February, 9.30am–6pm | Main Square + Swanston St Forecourt
A free, all-day event of sarapan (‘breakfast’) and performances presented by Nongkrong Festival that transforms the Square into a space to nongkrong – or to ‘hang out’ in Bahasa Indonesia.
28 February-10 March, 4pm-7pm | Flinders St Amphitheatre
Consume the sights, tastes and sounds of Punjab in this vibrant installation and performance series about migration and resilience. This free public installation and mini-festival is by innovative Delhi-based artist duo Jiten Thukral (Jalandhar, Punjab) and Sumir Tagra (New Delhi).
20 February-10 March | ArtPlay + Fed Square
Shadows in Twin Cities is a project by artists Jessica Wilson and Gijong Yoo, which brings together children from Jeonju (Korea) and Melbourne (Australia) in unusual conversations between each other and their city landscapes. Children can join in a participatory workshop with ArtPlay, watch a screening on the Big Screen and explore Fed Square to find hidden Hanji (shadows).
Asia TOPA is a joint initiative of the Sidney Myer Fund and Arts Centre Melbourne, is supported by the Australian and Victorian Governments through Creative Victoria, Playking Foundation and the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
Check out the full program of free live music, outdoor cinema and community events on as part of Open Air in the Square.