(Threads of Love)
SPECIAL EXHIBITION OF DOUBLE SEVENTH CULTURAL WEEK
10 - 20 AUGUST 2026 | CREATIVE ASIA ART CENTRE
Event Info & Schedule
DOUBLE SEVENTH CULTURAL WEEK
THREADS OF LOVE EXHIBITION
Threads of Love is the flagship exhibition of Double Seventh Cultural Week, a Melbourne-based public cultural program that reimagines one of China’s most celebrated traditional festivals through contemporary art, community engagement and cross-cultural dialogue.
Originating from the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, the Double Seventh Festival has long symbolised love, reunion, separation, blessings and the rich traditions of women’s craftsmanship. Within Melbourne’s multicultural context, Double Seventh Cultural Week expands these meanings beyond romantic love to explore family, friendship, memory, migration, cultural identity and the connections that continue to shape our lives across time and distance.
As the central exhibition of the festival, Threads of Love brings together artists, emerging creatives and community voices whose works reflect Chinese cultural heritage, diaspora experiences and intercultural exchange. Presented in a professional gallery environment, the exhibition invites audiences to experience Qixi as a living cultural tradition—one that continues to evolve through contemporary artistic practice and public participation.
Beyond the exhibition, Double Seventh Cultural Week features a diverse public program including artist talks, workshops, seminars, cultural education activities and community engagement events. Together, these programs create opportunities for artistic exchange, intercultural learning and shared storytelling, celebrating both the enduring spirit of Qixi and the richness of Melbourne’s multicultural community.
10 to 20 August 2026
@ Creative Asia Art Centre
THEME
THREADS OF LOVE
Love, distance and connection across cultures.
Under the same sky, two stars meet only once a year. Between them lie distance, longing, memory, resilience and hope.
As the central exhibition of Double Seventh Cultural Week, Threads of Love takes the Double Seventh Festival (Qixi) as a starting point to explore how people connect across distance—not only between lovers, but also between families, friends, cultures, languages and communities.
The “thread” is both literal and symbolic. It references the weaving traditions associated with Qixi while representing the emotional, cultural and social ties that bind people across generations, places and lived experiences. Like threads woven into fabric, individual stories intertwine to create shared histories and collective identities.
In Melbourne’s multicultural context, Threads of Love reimagines the Double Seventh Festival as a contemporary cultural conversation about migration, belonging, care, cultural memory and the universal desire to connect, to be understood and to find a sense of home.
CALL FOR ARTISTS
Artists, designers, photographers, makers, art students, emerging creatives and interdisciplinary practitioners are invited to submit works for Threads of Love, the central exhibition of Double Seventh Cultural Week, a Melbourne public cultural program supported by the Victorian Government.
Inspired by the cultural legacy of the Double Seventh Festival, the exhibition explores themes of connection, memory, migration, identity and belonging through contemporary artistic practice. We welcome submissions that engage with Chinese cultural heritage while encouraging diverse interpretations that resonate across cultures and communities.
Selected artists will present their work in a professional Melbourne gallery setting and become part of a broader public cultural program that includes exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, community engagement and cultural education activities.
Participating artists may also be featured in exhibition publications, promotional materials and project documentation associated with this Victorian Government-supported cultural program.
We welcome submissions exploring themes such as:
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The legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl
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The Double Seventh Festival and Chinese cultural heritage
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Love, longing, distance and reunion
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Memory, migration and belonging
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Chinese diaspora and cultural identity
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Family, friendship and intergenerational relationships
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Women’s craft traditions, weaving and creative labour
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Ritual, storytelling and cultural continuity
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Cross-cultural dialogue and multicultural communities
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Participation, public engagement and cultural education
Open Call
* An exhibition participation fee applies
Artists are invited to submit their portfolio for curatorial consideration.
Please send your application materials to:
Required materials:
· Artist CV
· Portfolio
· Artist Statement
· Artwork Information
Selected applicants will be contacted with further exhibition information.
Apply via Email Above
Accepted media include, but are not limited to:
• Painting
• Drawing
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Illustration
• Textile and fibre art
• Sculpture
• Installation
• Video art
• Digital media
• Sound
• Performance documentation
• Interdisciplinary and experimental practices
* Digital works may be submitted online.
* Physical artworks may be delivered in person or shipped to the gallery. Artists are responsible for all costs associated with artwork production, framing, printing, packing, shipping, customs clearance, insurance and return transportation where applicable.
* All submitted works will be reviewed by the curatorial team.
* Submission does not guarantee exhibition participation.
* Exhibition participation, artwork placement, public speaking opportunities and documentation inclusion are subject to curatorial selection, program capacity and venue requirements.
* Artists are responsible for the production, preparation, delivery, collection, shipping and insurance of their artworks unless otherwise agreed in writing.
* Digital works must be submitted in the required technical format by the confirmed deadline.
Key Dates
Exhibition Package Includes
• Professional curated exhibition
• Exhibition marketing and promotion
• Printed exhibition booklet
• Certificate of participation
• Opening night with catering
• Three artist seminars during the exhibition
• One artist workshop during the exhibition
• Dedicated exhibition space based on your selected participation package
Artwork Delivery
By Sunday 9 August 2026
Exhibition
10–20 August 2026
Opening Night
Friday 14 August 2026
Artwork Collection
Friday 21 August 2026
Across distance, love finds a thread. Across cultures, stories find a home.