 May-June  The Macao Arts Festival (MAF) is an annual event held in Macao during the month of May, which consistently enriches the cultural and artistic life of residents as well as visitors. Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, this year under the slogan ‘Enjoy Life through Art’, the MAF actively promotes the arts and artistic education, in an effort to encourage residents to engage in artistic activities and welcome the arts into their daily lives...   Launched in 2002, Singapore Street Festival has been created to provide a platform for Singapore Youth to showcase their talent, skills and abilities for performing or visual arts. The Festival targets youth from 14 years to 39 years old to participate. These young local talents are given the opportunity to perform or to express their various performing skills and talents through the performing arts. It is a powerful language with which the young can define their passions and connect with like-minded individuals. Since its inception Singapore Street Festival has become the 'One Solution' that sees powerful results both in performers' participation and responses from the general public and tourists alike.  
Everest Nepal cultural Group has been organizing “International Folk Festival” regularly every couple spring's months of March. ENCG invites around ten International folklore groups from all continents around the globe with five national folklore groups. The largest international dimension of the folkloric groups / artistic troops welcomed, the formalities undertaken by the authorities of the countries of origin, the cost of transportation, of medical aid, of insurance/ assistance drove the Nepal festivals to regroup in an organisation in order to facilitate the administrative and diplomatic formalities and to share the programming costs of the amateur artists concerned.
The Hindu Metro Plus Theatre Festival, managed by Evam, the event’s logistics partner in association with energetic, enthusiastic, creative youngsters with time on their hands run the festival. Known for showcasing quality national and international theatre since its launch in Chennai in 2005, the fest has grown considerably over the years. If you’ve ever been fascinated by the magic of the stage or itching to work in a spirited group, build a sense of theatre and management or just want to do something different and, most important, have fun — this is the place to be.
visit: The Hindu Metro Plus Theatre Festival August
Jazz has a suprizingly long history in Mongolia. Legend has it that first jazz artist to perform in Mongolia was an American working for the Ford Motor company in China who serviced the Mongolian market during the reign of the last Bogd Khan. The car dealer was also a jazz piano player and entertained at the Summer and Winter palaces for the Bogd Khan during his visits. In the middle of the century, the big-band of the then state circus used to swing larger dance halls on weekend evenings. During the cold war, most jazz music filtered in through Russia, where Mongolian artists learned the craft during their studies at music conservatories in Moscow and other major cities. It is some of these students who formed “Bayan Mongol Big Band of State Philharmonic” which in the late 1960s started performing, among others, light jazz arrangements. Yet, genuine In Ulaanbaatar young musicians buried under their blankets at night to listen to jazz on the Voice of America. Lucky few who got to personally visit the other side of the Wall were able to witness (and listen) jazz first-hand. Eventually, for lack of access to recordings and written music, the Mongolian bands disappeared and jazz faded into the background of the musical landscape.
Since Mongolia’s transition to democracy, musicians are free to listen to and perform any music they please, and jazz is becoming increasingly popular and available in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. The oldest established jazz band, the Black and White Jazz Band, has been performing for over a decade. During the 1990s, jazz musicians still faced difficult challenges in trying to develop their form of this music. There was limited internet access and radio broadcasts were practically non-existent, except for what might be picked up on Radio Moscow or Voice of America on short-wave. Jazz recordings were difficult to find, with only a few occasionally appearing on the shelves of music stores. Written jazz music was almost totally unavailable.
Mongolian jazz musicians are dedicated, and a little help from friends goes a long way. Bob Bellows (piano/vocal, USA) first came to Mongolia in 1996, supported by the US Embassy, to teach jazz improvisation to the National Philharmonic Orchestra. It was then that he met Ganbat (piano/drums, Mongolia) and a lasting friendship was formed. Since 1998, Deb Rasmussen (vocals, Canada) carried in jazz recordings and written music for Mongolian musician friends. In the summer of 2001, these friends, along with three Mongolian jazz bands, came together at the White House Hotel Jazz Club for a night of jazz performances. In December 2002, a jazz benefit concert, supported by the Arts Council of Mongolia, raised the funds required to create Mongolia’s first-ever music listening library, the Jazz Listening Library at the University of Arts and Culture.
The very successful Giant Steppes International Jazz Festival in July 2004 was the next effort of this circle of jazz friends. Instrumental in the Giant Steppes success was once again the Arts Council of Mongolia. The Arts Council managed the marketing, fund raising and logistics of the Festival. Financial support from the US Embassy, the Teipai Trade and Economic Representative Office helped make the dream a reality and jazz music took to the air. The last three nights of July were devoted to jazz with performances at the Brauhaus restaurant, the National Opera Theatre and Rivers Sounds Live Music Club. Big bands, ensembles, instrumental soloists and vocalists dazzled sell-out crowds with their interpretations of standards, smooth jazz, fusion and original compositions. Featured artists included Khulan (vocals), Khishgee (vocals),Purevdorj (Puujee) with the Black and White Band, and Ganbat (drums/piano). International guests included Bob Bellows (USA), Debra Rasmussen (Canada) and Dima Tagan (Ukraine).
After the 2004 Giant Steppes Festival, the continued support of the Arts Council of Mongolia combined with new support from Mount Royal College in Calgary and the Music Department of the University of Saskatchewan allowed Ganbat to come to Canada for six weeks to study and practice jazz performance and composition. In addition to his more formal studies at Mount Royal College, he studied and played with the Northern Lights members Keith Smith (guitar), Bruce Petherick (piano), John Hyde (bass) and Robin Tufts (drums). In February 2005, Ganbat was featured in a concert with Northern Lights at the Beatniq Jazz and Social Club in Calgary.
Since Ganbat returned to Mongolia in 2005 (?), he focused his energies on his cherished dream of returning to music full time and devoting himself to playing and promoting jazz. The Giant Steppes of Jazz NGO was formed in the spring of 2006 with the objective of supporting the growth of the jazz audience in Mongolia and providing jazz education opportunities for local musicians. Organizing the Giant Steppes Jazz Festival every two years was one of the main activities of the NGO. In May 2006, Steve Tromans (jazz piano and composer, Britain) moved to Mongolia for a year to teach English. Through the Arts Council of Mongolia, he was able to contact Ganbat and they formed an immediate alliance. The Steve Tromans U-Bop Band, which included Ganbat and Andrew Colwell (double bass, USA), performed weekly at the Mealody Restaurant and Steve and Ganbat opened the Jazz Academy to teach jazz theory and performance. One of their first students was Purevsukh, pianist of A-Sound and Arga Bileg ethno jazz band.
 The International Arts Carnival is a summer arts festival for children, teenagers and their families. The carnival offers a wide array of entertaining and creative programmes of healthy and educational nature, bringing an enjoyable, meaningful and fun-filled summer to audiences of different ages. Other fantastic programmes, including multimedia puppetry, marionette, visual theatre, dance, music, masked theatre, and physical comedy, will be performed by outstanding and innovative children theatres from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Ukraine, as well as talented local performers. Programmes are packaged into different series – "ABC, Come and See", for kids aged 3 to 6; "HeARTS Linked", best for the whole family; and "New Generation Series", targeted at teenagers. In addition to stage performances, various extension activities such as workshops, free exhibitions, and cultural tours will be organized. Don't miss the fun in this summer!  ASAF is not only the most beloved event in the region but also one of the fastest growing festivals in the country. The city of Ansan is 30km from Seoul, with a population of about 700,000. All the performances are held in the street and open-air theatre. The festival’s aim is to develop street arts in Korea, by promoting cultural exchange between countries, and audience relations. Byblos International Festival is true to the heritage of Jbeil, a crossroad where all cultures feel at home. The festival will feature international artists with a repertoire ranging from rock to world, flamenco, jazz, opera and dance. The Byblos international festival is one of the biggest Lebanese festivals which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world to the shores of Lebanon,to Byblos first city in Phoenicia founded around 5000BC.Byblos annual festival was created in 2003 to achieve many goals:-promote tourism-show the Lebanese culture-spread music and art from the middle east to the whole planetThe festivals take place by the sea side in the historic quarter in front of the big castle built by the Crusaders in the 12th every year in July regrouping Lebanese and international artists.Time line:2003:OumGregorian (band)Gotan Project + Richard Dorfmeister presents ToscaBlind Boys of Alabama + John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers2004:Bryan FerryStar Academy Arab WorldErik TruffazJimmy CliffMunir Bashir GroupPlacebo (band)2005:Roger HodgsonBuena Vista Social Club presents Omara PortuondoAziza Mustafa Zadeh2006:Francis CabrelBarbara Hendricks2007:Nouvelle Vague (band)Alessandro Safina2008:Patti SmithNuit Blanche: Lumi (band), Sebastien Tellier, Mouse on Mars, Munma/Trash Inc.Vaya Con DiosBarbatuquesChucho Valdes Quintet + Chucho Valdes & Michel Legrand2009:Loreena McKennittKeaneGrease (musical)Jethro TullMisiaGonzales (musician) + Cocorosie + Y.A.S.2010:Tribute to Wadih el Safi with Najwa Karam & Wael KfouryMashrou' LeilaCaetano VelosoJesse CookGorillazRiverdanceLe Nozze di Figaro2011:Don Quixote (Marwan, Ghady and Oussama Rahbani)Scorpions (band)MobyFlorent PagnyJamie Cullum30 Seconds To MarsAmadou & MariamLes Mystères Lyriques The Beiteddine Festival is one of the leading festivals in the Middle East. It takes place in a large and magnificent 200-year old Palace in the Chouf Mountains, in Lebanon.The Palace is a jewel of Lebanese architecture with its many courtyards, monumental gates, elegant arcades and leveled galleries.Each year, in the months of July and August, the Festival presents outstanding performances by world famous stars and Lebanese artists.Concurrent with the performances, the Palace houses one or more international art exhibits.The Festival’s first edition was launched in the summer of 1985 amidst the war. It came as an act of faith in Lebanon’s cultural role and power of creativity, a call for normality amidst the chaos and madness of war. It was born and has grown in very difficult times and made it against all odds. As of 1987, when Nora Joumblat and an Executive Committee took over the organization of the Festival, it gradually gained regional and international recognition.Since 1997, a new step forward is recorded: the external courtyard of the Palace is fitted to host 5,000 persons. On the creative level, the Festival started producing its own performances, particularly Lebanese plays.The variety and the quality of the Festival’s activities attract an ever-increasing audience (51,000 persons in 2003) in which the young generation is worthily representedThe Festival is a non-profit organization. Its growth from a local venture to its current status as an international event is due to 2 main factors: - An increasingly loyal public - The support of sponsors and partners.70% of the Festival’s budget comes from ticket sales and 29% from sponsors and a symbolic governmental aid of 1%Every summer, around 50,000 spectators gather in the Palace’s spectacular courtyards to attend different performances.The Beiteddine Festival has presented an impressive variety of artists. Bringing together theatre companies and dance groups from Turkey and abroad with the audience, The Istanbul Theatre Festival, first held in The Annual Suwon Hwaseong Fortress International Theater Festival is held in Suwon and accommodates diverse performances of theatre, dance, and other stage art genres including Rumania’s National Theater of Bucharest, Poland’s Theater Cogitatur, England’s juggling team Gandini, Czech Republic’s Continuo, Ireland’s Pan Pan Troupe, and Japan’s Pappa Tarahumara. http://www.suwontheatre.or.kr/ The first festival was held in 2002 and seeks to introduce music theaters from Korea and abroad to the existing music theatre market which has been limited to musicals and operas. As well as presenting music theatres, it aims to define the future direction of Korean music theatre by offering a wide choice such as in-door and out-door theatres, street performances, fringe events, exhibitions, and additional programs. http://www.umtf.or.kr/  The Chuncheon International Mime Festival (CIMF) is an annual performing arts festival focusing on contemporary mime, physical, movement, object and visual theatre, street theatre, installation performance, and site-specific performance. The CIMF is a unique Asian contemporary visual theatre festival, in which the artists utilize physical expressions and gestures as well as show new and experimental performances. The CIMF started out as the first Korea Mime Festival in 1989, and has developed into an international festival. Many mime groups from Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand, the Netherlands, the U.S.A. and Korea have participated in the CIMF since 1994. The CIMF, which will present its 18th festival in 2006, has been recognized as an Excellent Culture and Tour Festival, and honored as one of the best Korean Festivals for 6 years in a row since 2001 by the The CIMF is the headquarters of the Asia Mime Federation founded in 2002, which is a network organization for Asian mime and related artists to develop Asian mime, to exchange artistic information between Asian countries, and to promote Asian traditional movement. The CIMF is a full member of Association of Asian Performing Arts Festivals which aims to foster understanding, exchange and co-operation among Asian festivals within the fields of artistic direction, marketing, touring and operational and administrative planning.  (DIMF) began in 2006 with the aim of cementing the city of Daegu’s place in the the arts world as a creative force in South Korea. Each year the festival presents invitational musicals as well as local performances The main performances will be augmented by side events that include a Fringe Festival and academic conferences. In addition, the Daegu Musical Awards will be held, with awards being given in eight categories. This competition will provide the opportunity for college students to display their talents.  The annual performing arts festival takes place at the Busan Cultural Center and other venues in Busan. The theme of each edition determines the focus of the festival — that combines music, singing, spoken word, and dance. Twenty productions from eight countries. Trabzon State Theatre performing the activities bounded to Turkish State Theatres Directorate General and being one of the almost 13 regional theaters opened its curtains with ‘Boş Beşik’ ‘ Empty Cradle’ by Necati Cumalı for the first time in 7th October 1987 and 20th year of the theatre is left behind with 105 performans. |
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