Dear Friends:

I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to everyone taking part in the 27th edition of Festival Accès Asie.

Year after year, Festival Accès Asie continues to stand out for the quality and originality of its programming to mark Asian Heritage Month. This is a wonderful opportunity for Canadians to learn more about the rich diversity of the Asian diaspora and the many contributions that Canadians of Asian descent have made, and continue to make, to our country. In addition to fostering values such as open-mindedness and tolerance, events like this also provide a wonderful experience for participants and festival-goers alike. I would therefore like to commend the organizers for their hard work.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I offer my best wishes for a successful and memorable festival.

In Canada, diversity has always been one of our greatest strengths, yet we know that a multicultural society—one that is truly open and inclusive—is always a work in progress. It demands our effort, our attention, and our care. It calls on each and every one of us to stand up against discriminations and be there for each other. That’s why our government is pleased to support le Festival Accès Asie, which showcases the diversity of cultures and traditions of the many Asian communities in Canada.

For more than 25 years, Festival Accès Asie—the oldest meeting of its kind in the country—has invited everyone to discover the richness of Asian heritage through a program combining the arts, culture, and food. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the history of Canadians of Asian descent and their contributions to the growth and prosperity of Canada.

As Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, and on behalf of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Government of Canada, we would like to thank all the organizers, volunteers, supporters and participants involved in the 26th edition of le Festival Accès Asie. We both recognize and appreciate the joy and unique role the arts and culture offer in the enrichment of Canada. Happy Asian Heritage Month. Keep well and safe.

© HOC-CDC / Mélanie Provencher

I am delighted that the city of Montréal is once again partnering with Festival Accès Asie, one of the highlights of Asian Heritage Month.

Through its rich and diverse programming, the festival highlights the great diversity of Asia’s cultural traditions by showcasing the talents of local, national and international artists. The event also recognizes the tremendous contribution of Asian communities to Montréal’s life and vibrancy.

Through a program that combines many disciplines, Accès Asie invites the population to discover the know-how and passion of emerging and professional artists. By encouraging exchanges and engaging in discussions, the festival contributes to increasing openness and connection between the various communities, one of the strengths of our community.

The difficult times we have been through have shown us the importance of sharing and solidarity, values that are resolutely Montréal. I hope that the population will participate in large numbers in the festivities of this 27th festival and take the opportunity to discover the heart of Asia, right here in the city.

I would like to congratulate all those who have contributed to the organization of this festival. Your work contributes to showcase the artistic richness of Asian communities and to confirm Montréal’s status as a great city of culture and festivals.  

I wish you a successful event. 

Have a great festival and a great Asian Heritage Month!

© Sylvain Légaré

Artists and their collaborators have played a vital role from the beginning of the pandemic: their creations offer hope, help maintain connections, and point to a brighter future.  

As we move forward, we need the arts more than ever—to inspire us and bring us together as we envision a better world for all. Strong support for a resilient, inclusive, and accessible arts sector benefits society in all its diversity.

The Canada Council for the Arts is a proud supporter of the Festival Accès Asie and its contributions to our shared work to bring the arts to life.

©Christian Lalonde

Every year, the spring energy of May comes together with the rich mosaic of Asian cultures and traditions that can be explored through the Festival Accès Asie. This unique encounter in the city, the oldest of the kind in the country, is an invaluable opportunity for festivalgoers to broaden their horizons onto the world and deepen their understanding of it.

Through the arts, through the wide range of disciplines and artistic expressions emanating from Asian cultures, the festival pursues its mission to bring Asian communities and the public together in conversation. Once again this year, audiences will be awed by the finesse of execution, the sensitivity of technique, and the vibrant colours in the work of the artists on the program.

To support the Festival Accès Asie is to encourage tolerance, inclusion, solidarity, and accessibility. Steadfastly sharing these values, the CALQ is particularly proud to support the 27th edition of this wonderful festival. Our team would like to congratulate Khosro Berahmandi for artistic direction and development and Karine Kerr-Gillespie for general management of the festival and for their tireless efforts in carrying out their incredible mission. 

Congratulations to the whole team!

Enjoy the festival!

© Sylvain Légaré

Audacieux. Rassembleur. Pluridisciplinaire. Autant de mots qui nous viennent à l’esprit lorsqu’on évoque le Festival Accès Asie.

Accès Asie regorge de propositions artistiques qui résonnent auprès de publics variés et qui créent des rencontres enrichissantes entre les générations. De la danse aux arts visuels, en passant par la musique, le théâtre et même l’art culinaire, le Festival fait rayonner les artistes asiatiques de Montréal et aussi celles et ceux qui viennent de l’extérieur de la métropole. Le satellite Fleur de lys, fleur de thé, se déplace par exemple chaque été dans une ville québécoise différente.

Résolument engagé dans la lutte contre le racisme systémique, Accès Asie a mis sur pied l’événement Confrontons le racisme ensemble! axé sur le partage et la sensibilisation aux expériences de personnes issues de diverses nations autochtones et de la diversité culturelle, en collaboration avec le collectif Super Boat People.

C’est avec une grande fierté que le Conseil des arts de Montréal renouvelle son soutien au Festival et l’accueille à la Maison du Conseil pour le cocktail d’ouverture de sa 27e édition. Avec une feuille de route aussi impressionnante, vous ne serez pas surpris d’apprendre qu’Accès Asie était à l’honneur parmi les finalistes de notre 36e Grand Prix! 

Félicitations à toute l’équipe et belles découvertes à toutes et à tous!

©Normand Huberdeau

 “The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.”

 ― Lao Tzu

As the Northern Hemisphere embraces spring, and warmer air has settles in our beautiful city, Festival Accès Asie prepares to launch its 27th edition programme celebrating Asian Heritage Month! 

This year, we are doubly excited as we get to welcome you all back to our in-person events and we get to meet and exchange with you, the artists, and our partners. We have missed this in-person contact the most over the past two years.

Loyal to our mandate, this year’s program aims to offer opportunities to both the younger generation of Canadian Asian artists who search to echo their roots in their artistic expression, as well as the older generation who have mastered their art. We are proud to bring great artists from Asia as well as other parts of Turtle Island for our 27th edition. 

We look forward to engaging with the public and artists to continue our ongoing dialogue about art, culture, and our identity as Canadian Asians as we celebrate the rich contribution of all Asian communities in the life of Canada.

Hand in hand with the Board of Directors and the team of Festival Accès Asie, we extend our warmest greetings to all of you across the country who have been contributing to the celebration of Asian Heritage Month over the past two decades. 

We wish you a magnificent Asian Heritage Month celebration!

@ Kamal