Presented by Macao International Culture and Sports Industries Association (MICSIA) and Reed Exhibition Ltd., and organized by MM Cultural Development Group Limited, the first edition of ArtBiz Asia Forum was held on May 21 and 22 at the Venetian Macao. In line with local government’s strategy of promoting a diversified economy, ArtBiz Asia seeks to create a platform that connects the arts and culture circle with integrated resorts in Asia, and to drive opportunities between art industry professionals and Asian elites.
The first edition of ArtBiz Forum focused on the relationship and relevance of art in today’s integrated resorts through a series of content-rich sessions and panel discussions with industry professionals and regional experts. Themes for the sessions included global trends, the role of art in integrated resort development, the relationship of public art with destination travel, and the ins and outs of the art business.
The event sparked conversations about the importance of art and culture in the multifaceted development of integrated resorts and the wider impact on various travel destinations in Asia, focusing on the trend that combines integrated resorts and art, public art, art investment and financing, and more. A series of talks and panel discussions were conducted to provide a wide scope of perspectives from industry professionals, with key speakers including Ms. Helena Fernandes, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office, Ms. Cristina Kuok, Vice President Arts & Culture of MGM, and Mr. Calvin Hui, Chairman of Ink Now and 3812 Gallery.
Alison Pickett, a corporate art and sculpture consultant in Hong Kong commented during one of the panel sessions: “I think the very aggressive art program happening in Macau is fantastic. I really think more art companies are going to come to Macau and this will in turn improve visitor numbers. And that is the hope of anyone who puts an art program into their project, whether it’s a hotel or a shopping mall or an office building.
Mandy Pao, Director of Communications and Development of Chiu Yeng Culture, agreed, saying: “What excites me most is the Macau government and people are really realizing that investing in art and culture is the way to go, to create more career opportunities, and to empower local talents and let them have a platform to showcase their talents.”
“Investing in creative industries opens a lot of doors for collaboration between different industries, and education comes first, so I think we should focus our energies on empowering the youth,” Mandy added.
Discussing the public art program of the Hong Kong MTR, Andrew Mead, Chief Architect of MTR Corporation noted: “Diversity is a key aspect of our art program, in terms of artwork and art forms. Getting the community involved in the creation of the artwork is a core part of our corporate social responsibility program, it’s not simply an add-on at the end.”
While discussing the use of art in hotels and integrated resorts, Lu Xun, Founder and Director of Sifang Art Musuem in Nanjing stated: “It’s important to create a wholistic experience for visitors so they keep coming back. The best way to attract an audience is with some type of a spectacular show, but you should also have your own thematic shows and education programs for kids. It’s not about having just one thing, it’s about having things on every single level and creating a sustainable ecosystem.”
David Tung, Director of Lisson Gallery Shanghai added: “We don’t necessarily need to think in terms of commercial and non-conventional spaces, some spaces can be hybrid, and can really help to create magical experiences for art.”
Finally, Chef and Founder of Janice Wong Singapore, Janice Wong reflected on her experience of creating her very unique chocolate artwork in public venues: “Exhibiting in public environments like shopping malls and integrated resorts, we get to really try to create experiences that are worthwhile for the consumer; just really having a free mind and making everyone happy, which is a dream goal for the artist and the vendor. For us it’s a great platform, where we get to really create based on what type of space it is.”
