Melbourne Children's Spring Festival Gala 2024 (1st)

On February 18, 2024, the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, Melbourne's night sky was lit up by a dazzling artistic feast. The "First Melbourne Children's Spring Festival Gala" took place as scheduled at The Round in the Whitehorse City Civic Center, with the Association of Australian Youth Arts and Cultures Incorporated as the chief planner, co-hosted with the Mirror Arts Education of Australia. Arts schools such as Venus Arts Dance Academy, First Step Dance Arts Centre, Bloom Studio of Dance, and Tender Loving Studio, along with other arts education institutions collaborated in the event.

The gala, themed "Searching for the Dragon in Melbourne," integrated various art forms like drama, language, dance, musical instruments, martial arts, and vocal performances, creating vivid and captivating scenes that offered the audience a stunning visual and auditory experience.

Consul Shi Gang and Cultural Consul Wang Yijia from the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne attended the gala. Before the performance, Consul Shi Gang delivered an important speech, fully acknowledging the efforts made by the First Melbourne Children’s Chinese New Year Gala in promoting and inheriting Chinese culture, and expressing his intention to continue supporting such activities and promoting cultural exchanges between China and Australia. He encouraged the children participating in the performance to continue their efforts and wished the gala a complete success.

The show took three months of preparation, involving over 200 young performers and 50 volunteers. It aimed to promote Chinese traditional culture and showcase the cultural confidence of the descendants of the dragon, even in a foreign land. The performance provided an unforgettable artistic experience for nearly 500 audience members, with over 100 additional viewers tuning in via livestream on Little Red Book platform.

As the creative leader and core organization behind the show, the Association of Australian Youth Arts and Cultures Incorporated demonstrated its professional expertise in arts education and its strong influence in the Melbourne arts community.

Melbourne Children's Spring Festival Gala 2025 (2nd)

The second Melbourne Children's Spring Festival Gala concluded successfully on February 9, 2025, at The Round Theatre. Organized by the Australian Youth Art and Culture Association and hosted by EVENTSPER, the event showcased 22 performances from five major art institutions and the Berwick Lodge Primary School choir. Supported by 16 non-performing organizations, the gala featured over 150 young performers and attracted more than 500 spectators.

This year's gala featured a theatrical storyline titled Slinky’s Fantastic Journey, inspired by the ancient Chinese classic Shan Hai Jing to create an immersive experience. The narrative followed "Slinky," a young snake chosen to represent the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Snake in 2025, on a journey of growth and self-discovery. Designed by children, the Slinky mascot symbolizes cultural heritage and personal development.

Attendees included representatives from the Consulate-General of China in Melbourne, Australian political figures, Chinese community associations, and academic circles. Distinguished guests included Consul General Fang Xinwen and his wife Zeng Hui, Deputy Consul General Chen Xiaodong and his wife Xiao Ying, Cultural Consul Wang Yijia, Chairman of the Victorian Chinese Community Association Chen Yunguo, Ringwood MP Will Fowles, Melbourne City Councillor Cr Gladys Liu, Whitehorse City Councillor Cr Ben Stennett, CCTV Sydney Bureau Chief Lin Qinghui, and RMIT University Honorary Scholar Chen Yangguosheng.

This year’s Melbourne Children's Spring Festival Gala received widespread attention and was once again included in the “Happy Chinese New Year” series by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. As a prominent cultural event within the Australian Chinese community, the gala attracted extensive domestic and international media coverage, with China Central Television (CCTV) providing full coverage and in-depth interviews with the creative team and young performers to highlight the event's cultural significance and exchange value.

In addition to its artistic offerings, the gala incorporated a charitable element through a family walkathon and fun run organized by the Box Hill Silk Road Lions Club, raising funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Children’s Cancer Foundation. All proceeds supported the Children’s Cancer Centre and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

The event successfully showcased young talent, promoted traditional Chinese culture, and strengthened cultural ties between China and Australia. Its success was made possible by the collective efforts of performers, families, sponsors, partners, and media. Looking ahead, the gala aims to continue developing into a professional and influential platform that nurtures a deep connection to Chinese culture in the hearts of children, while fostering a joyful and inclusive Spring Festival celebration.