Asia TOPA has received the 2025 Melbourne Award for Arts & Events, announced on Saturday night at a gala ceremony at Melbourne Town Hall. The award recognises outstanding contributions to the life and culture of our city.
Asia TOPA’s Creative Director Jeff Khan was in attendance to accept the award, alongside Asia TOPA Creative Producer Nisha Madhan and Arts Centre Melbourne Executive Director, Performing Arts Melanie Smith and Executive Director, Development, Alisia Romanin.
Asia TOPA’s Creative Director Jeff Khan:
In an increasingly turbulent world, art brings people together and inspires us to think differently about our future. Asia TOPA and Arts Centre Melbourne are honoured to be recognised for our contribution alongside such esteemed peers and colleagues, and this award inspires us to grow our contribution to the life of this beautiful city even further.
In 2025 Asia TOPA – Melbourne’s Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts – returned to the city after a 5-year absence. Presented by Arts Centre Melbourne, Asia TOPA took place across 20 venues large and small, celebrating Australia’s place as an Asia-Pacific country and bringing 410 artists and collectives from 17 countries to our city’s stages, galleries, public squares, nightclubs and university campuses.
Attracting over 750,000 audience members, Asia TOPA created a new sense of community that brought people together across generations, geography and cultural backgrounds. After an incredibly successful 2025 festival, the Asia TOPA team are now planning the 2026-28 festival cycle, alongside the return of Asia TOPA’s artist showcase series, Asia TOPA Radar returning this Wednesday 19 November with an event featuring some of the most exciting Asia-Pacific artists.
Since 2002, the Melbourne Awards has provided a platform to recognise the people who make Melbourne an inclusive, creative and forward-thinking place.
Khan:
The team at Arts Centre Melbourne and Asia TOPA extend a warm congratulations to all of the 2025 finalists and winners, who work tirelessly to make Melbourne such an extraordinary place to live, work and visit.
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