New arts festival to enliven Tokyo over winter

Tokyo's streets, waterfronts, parks and public spaces will become a canvas for creativity with the launch of ARTE TOKYO, a new city-wide festival of arts and culture running from October 10 until the end of the year. 

The vibrant Japanese capital will take art beyond traditional galleries and museums. 

The inaugural festival promises to bring together art, theatre, music, performance, illuminations and entertainment across the city, encouraging visitors to discover Tokyo through culture as they explore its neighbourhoods and public spaces. 

The festival will centre on three main areas, Tokyo's Waterfront, Hibiya and Marunouchi, along with and Yoyogi and Shibuya. 

It will transform the Tokyo Bay waterfront into a stage as Odaiba Beach, waterfront parks and promenades will become settings for installations and interactive experiences. 

Visitors can also experience the festival from the water aboard the Arte Tokyo Cruise, connecting Odaiba and Tennoz from October 10 to December 20 - mainly on weekends and public holidays. 

From mid-November, ARTE TOKYO will bring contemporary art into the streets and public spaces of Hibiya and Marunouchi, from Tokyo Midtown Hibiya and Hibiya Park to Tokyo International Forum and the area around Tokyo Station. 

In December, Yoyogi and Shibuya become another major focus, with art and cultural experiences appearing throughout Yoyogi Park and surrounding public spaces. The program connects Yoyogi Park with Shibuya, Harajuku and Omotesando, encouraging visitors to explore an area where parks, shopping, entertainment and contemporary culture come together.

The festival also overlaps with Tokyo's winter light season, including Yoyogi Forest of Lights, Omotesando Illumination 2026 and Blue Grotto Shibuya 2026, which will illuminate a 900-metre stretch from Shibuya Koen-dori to Yoyogi Park.

ARTE TOKYO will also offer a different way to experience one of the city's historic landscapes.

To coincide with the inaugural festival and the 80th anniversary of Hama-rikyu Gardens, a special night-time art project is planned from November 25 to December 24. 

For more info see https://artetokyo.jp/en/

Tasmania welcomes spring with the Junction Arts Festival

Tasmania punches well above its weight when it comes to festivals.

Launceston, the state's second city, will once again become a platform for art, performance, music and shared experiences when it hosts the Junction Arts Festival from September 17-20.

Now in its 16th year, Junction Arts Festival invites locals and visitors alike to experience the city in new ways, with a curated program of contemporary art that unfolds across streets, buildings and unlikely venues.

Celebrating Tasmanian artists alongside interstate collaborators, the festival brings together immersive installations, live events, music and participatory experiences.

Junction chairperson Rebecca Birrell said the 2026 Junction program will offer attendees a wide range of experiences.

“"The 2026 Junction Arts Festival program is brimming with art and performance to celebrate the equinox," she said.

"Our 16th festival will transform Launceston with multi-arts experiences. Co-create a beautiful artistic offering of hope to the city in Duravity. Indulge in a luscious curation of art, food and performance in Making. Immerse yourself in the vibrant hub of community and sound at Princes Square. Amaze yourself with the most fun you will ever have under a steeple in The Baptiste. All will come to light in four exceptional days in spring.”

OK. She's enthusiastic.

But when churches become nightclubs, stables become late-night lounges, and Prince's Square becomes the Festival Hub, home to live music, art and performance, food vans, bars, cosy fires and the Little Devil, that's easy to understand.

“Junction has become one of the most-loved weekends on Tasmania's cultural calendar because it gives people a completely different way to experience their own city. This year's program is our boldest yet, equal parts joyful, strange and unmissable.”

For the full program and festival information, visit https://junctionartsfestival.com.au/

Under-fire Qantas predicts a massive profit

It may have been under fire for poor customer service and a plague of late and cancelled flights but Qantas announced today that it expects an underlying profit before tax of between $1.2 billion and $1.3 billion.

So I'm sure they will be giving back the taxpayer money they were given during Covid. Only joking.

In a press release issued this morning, Qantas insisted operational performance continues to improve with the airline back at or around pre-Covid service levels in first half of October.

Strong travel demand is accelerating the Qantas Group’s recovery, the airline said.

"Based on forward bookings, current fuel prices and latest assumptions about the second quarter, the group expects underlying profit before tax of between $1.2 billion and $1.3 billion for the first half of FY23," the statement said.

"This follows five consecutive halves of heavy losses due to the pandemic and cumulative statutory losses of $7 billion."

Both Qantas and JetStar have announced sale fares starting today, with more than 1 million fares across 67 domestic destinations starting at $35 one-way.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, said: “It’s been a really challenging time for the national carrier but today’s announcement shows how far we’ve come.

“Since August, we’ve seen a big improvement in our operational performance and an acceleration in our financial performance.

“It’s clear that maintaining our pre-Covid service levels requires a lot more operational buffer than it used to, especially when you consider the sick leave spikes and supply chain delays that the whole industry is dealing with. That means having more crew and more aircraft on standby and adjusting our flying schedule to help make that possible, until we’re confident that extra support is no longer needed.

“Qantas’ operations are largely back to the standards people expect, and JetStar’s performance has improved significantly in the past few weeks and will keep getting better with the extra investments we’re making."

Image: Qantas