Lunar New Year Celebrations At The Art Gallery Of NSW

Celebrate the coming Year of the Snake with the Art Gallery of NSW’s Lunar New Year program of events featuring dragon dances, karaoke, movies and special deals for exhibitions. 

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Art Gallery are offering 2-for-1 tickets for their current flagship exhibition Cao Fei: My City is Yours, the largest exhibition of the Beijing-based artist’s work ever seen in Australia.  

The huge installation has taken over the Gallery’s Naala Badu building since November, with Cao Fei’s art wowing audiences in a huge mixed-media installation from the exemplary Chinese artist. You can get 2-for-1 tickets any time until February 16th, or during Art After Hours at the Gallery until April 9th.

Better yet, the Art Gallery’s other offerings during the Lunar New Year season are all free. On Wednesday January 29th, see the Chinese Youth League perform a stunning Lion and Dragon Dance in the Naala Badu building, immediately followed by a drop-in karaoke session led by artist and singer Rainbow Chan. 

Running from 6:30 to 9:30pm, you can join this karaoke party at any time with drinks and dumplings available as you prep for your moment in the spotlight! Awards are also set to be given out for the best performances and best snaked-themed outfits throughout the night. 

If karaoke’s not your speed, take a look at cult classic Japanese film All About Lily Chou-Chou, a film born of the internet age that’d be well-served by a double feature with Cao Fei’s extensive exhibit.   

Kids are also included in the program with a great set of events on the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of February. Saturday kicks off with a performance by Lion Dance Kids, a local educational workshop that teaches young ones the skills necessary to undertake a lion dance. After that, you can book your kids in for a workshop with Lion Dance Kids where they can make their very own dragon puppet. 

Lastly, the whole family can enjoy a guided tour on Sunday 2nd in celebration of the Year of the Snake. You’ll be able to find remarkable, serpentine artwork from throughout the gallery on this tour, as well as make some of your own!

With a huge selection of activities available, the Lunar New Year program at the Art Gallery is a fantastic way to enjoy this special time of year. For more details, see the Art Gallery’s website.