The 34th Macao Arts Festival (MAF), organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, concluded successfully, presenting 18 shows and an art exhibition, as well as 23 outreach activities aimed at promoting arts in the community, in a total of 80 sessions. By constantly introducing more high-quality programmes, MAF seeks to expand its cultural influence while facilitating exchanges and cooperation to drive the development of local arts, leveraging Macao’s role as “a base for exchange and cooperation with Chinese culture as the mainstream and the coexistence of different cultures”, and unleashing its special appeal as a “City of Performing Arts”.
This edition of the MAF was once again widely publicised in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In addition to online promotion by media outlets and art critics from the Greater Bay Area, the MAF also invited them to cover the event in Macao, write reviews and conduct interviews, so as to increase its reputation and establish a positive cultural image of Macao.
The MAF also joined hands with different organisations, including the Social Welfare Bureau, the Galaxy Entertainment Group, and Sands China Ltd., to organise five charity sessions, allowing different communities to enjoy art together. Furthermore, in order to reach an even broader public and gain a greater influence from the performing arts, the MAF provided tickets for charity sessions to higher education institutions and associations, inviting them to enjoy a series of performances. Various outreach activities including backstage tours, pre-show talks, talks, workshops, an exhibition, and the “Selected Screenings of International Stage Performances” were well received by the public, enriching the cultural life of the public and enhancing the cultural atmosphere of the community.
Themed “Wondrous Encounters”, this edition of the MAF featured a number of programmes that reinterpret classics with innovative approaches, taking the audience on an artistic journey of wondrous encounters. Over 200 artists from 10 countries participated in the event and half of the programmes were local productions, which testifies to MAF’s mission of fostering local productions. This year, the MAF called for local programmes and new commissions that had never been performed publicly in Macao, in order to encourage more new creations and local art groups to have more exchanges with foreign artists, so as to enhance their standards and professionalism. The large-scale exhibition “Focus: Integration of Art between China and the West in the 18th-19th Centuries” showcases the dialogue and integration between Chinese and foreign artists amid globalisation of the visual arts during the 18th and 19th centuries, and highlights Macao’s significant role in the encounter between Chinese and Western cultures. The sections “Acclimation of the Painting Skills” and “Adaptation of the Painting Materials” are open until 11 August, while the section “Integration of the Painting Styles: George Chinnery and His Painting Styles” is open until 15 September. All are welcome to visit the exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art.
This edition of the MAF was strongly supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office, TDM-Teledifusão de Macau, Air Macau and MGM. It also counted with the cooperation with various banks, credit card partners and media partners, which widely promoted the Festival. As next year marks the 35th anniversary of the MAF, the Cultural Affairs Bureau will continue to uphold the concept of developing Macao into a city of cultural tourism and leisure, introducing a wider array of international-level performances and providing a good performance platform for local creators through MAF, an annual signature event.
