Image: Mexican Festival at Federation Square
Multicultural Arts Victoria commissioned the study to examine whether the state should build a House of World Cultures (HoWC), to be located at Princes Pier, where many Victorian migrants first landed in Australia.
The $18.78 million project would establish a purpose-built centre to host performing arts events, exhibitions, markets and festivals. It is envisaged the HoWC would partner with existing ethnic film festivals and inject cultural diversity ​into existing arts, music and food festivals.
The venue would also be a centre for health and wellbeing cultural programs such as Tai Chi, and for multicultural and interfaith activities. It would provide a venue where the broader public could participate in culturally specific practices such as Japanese tea making, Karen wrist tying from Myanmar, Tsiattista poetic duelling from Cyprus, Mexican Mariachi music and the celebration of Korean Children’s Day
