“Art Macao”, a six-month mega international arts and culture event, will be held this summer. From May to October, this grand cultural and artistic festival features a series of artistic events, including a number of international art exhibitions, performances, international youth festivals and visual arts exhibitions of Macao higher education institutions, which form an arts festival of unprecedented scale and offer a new artistic and cultural experience to residents and tourists.

Under the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, “Art Macao” is organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Macao Government Tourism Office and co-organized by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Higher Education Bureau, featuring highlights such as the “Art Macao: International Art Exhibition” organized in collaboration with several hotels and integrated resorts, and foreign consulates, highlights of the concert season by the Macao Orchestra and the Macao Chinese Orchestra, signature programmes of the Macao Cultural Centre, the International Youth Dance Festival, the International Youth Music Festival, the International Youth Drama Festival and “Growing with the SAR” Activity Series for the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region – Visual Arts Exhibitions of Macao Higher Education Institutions. The event features a total of 41 programmes, including 27 exhibitions and 11 large-scale performances, 3 youth festivals, which will be held in 55 venues throughout the city.

Pre-events featuring works by great masters, evoking a refined classic aesthetic
Starting from April, “Art Macao” will be preceded by a series of outstanding exhibitions that are bound to evoke a highly refined classic aesthetic. The exhibition “Italian Renaissance Drawings from the British Museum” presents 52 drawings by 42 Italian Renaissance masters of the 15th and 16th centuries, showcasing the transformations and innovations that took place during this period. The exhibition “Beauty in the New Era—Masterpieces from the Collection of the National Art Museum of China” features nearly 90 works by modern and contemporary masters, aiming to fully present the development of Chinese fine art over the last hundred years. The exhibition “Reminiscences of the Silk Road—Exhibition of Cultural Relics of the Western Xia Dynasty” unveils the mystery behind the history and culture of the Western Xia. Some exhibits will also be presented outside the Ningxia for the first time, making this a rare opportunity for the public to appreciate these world heritage treasures.

Large-scale art exhibitions organized in collaboration with enterprises to create a new brand of cultural tourism
“Art Macao” invited several hotels and integrated resorts to collaborate in the organization of “Art Macao: International Art Exhibition”, the mega event’s highlight, mobilizing the human and spatial resources of the various participating entities and invoking the power of arts from around the globe to encourage local artistic creation, enhance the humanistic spirit of Macao and create a new brand of cultural tourism. In addition to the exquisite main exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art, several other exhibitions will also be organized by hotels and integrated resorts and by foreign consulates accredited in Hong Kong and Macao, in addition to six outdoor art installations which will be displayed at various attractions of the city, thus bringing together ancient and contemporary works of art by Chinese and foreign artists, and an array of heritage masterpieces that will certainly offer a pleasing and inspiring visual feast for the public.

“Art Macao” will be inaugurated on 6 June together with the opening of the “Art Macao: International Art Exhibition”, the main exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art. This exhibition features a number of valuable works selected by several hotels and integrated resorts, including paintings, ceramics, sculptures, interactive installations and multimedia presentations, aiming at capturing the fascinating charm of contemporary visual arts in a diversified way.

The art exhibitions organized by hotels and integrated resorts include:
Galaxy Entertainment Group: The exhibition “GRACE KELLY: From Hollywood to Monaco – Artists’ Tributes” traces the legendary story of Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) who became Princess of Monaco, and showcases how artists were inspired to create their works with her as their muse in conjunction with over 100 exhibits from the collection of the Prince of Monaco’s Palace.

Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited: The exhibition “Unexpected Encounters” features a number of masterpieces by renowned contemporary artists from the impressive art collection owned by City of Dreams, including “Good Intentions” by KAWS and “Fat Convertible” by Erwin Wurm, demonstrating how contemporary art abandoned traditional forms of artistic expression and techniques, then gradually transformed and liberated itself thereby evolving into something new.

MGM: The exhibition “Hua Yuan” reveals new developments in the art of ink painting through the presentation of works by contemporary artists, including the large-scale multimedia installation A Metamorphosis: No End To End by Ma Wen, the digital landscape painting Journey to the Dark II by Yang Yongliang and the new one-act opera Paradise Interrupted, presenting the essence of Chinese culture and art.        Sands China Ltd.: “All That’s Gold Does Glitter – An Exhibition of Glamorous Ceramics”, curated by internationally acclaimed ceramic artist Caroline Cheng, features over 90 masterpieces themed “All That’s Gold Does Glitter” by 27 first-class ceramic artists. This exhibition is the largest and greatest international ceramic art exhibition in Greater Bay Area in 2019.
Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, S.A. (SJM): The exhibition “ART • Appreciation • Legacy” is a celebration of cultural heritage by SJM seen through the prism of Art. In collaboration with fellow artists to create a total of 7 exceptional and multidimensional exhibitions in various locations every month from June to October 2019.

Wynn Macau, Limited: The exhibition “Wynn – Garden of Earthly Delights” presents an extraordinary selection of modern and contemporary art pieces by several renowned artists for the first time in Macao, taking the public on a journey into a world of innovation and creativity through various media forms such as paintings, installations and digital art pieces.
Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited: The exhibition “Interspace” features works by famous French sculptor Gabrielle Wambaugh, reflecting the integration of space and art.
The consulates from Japan, Italy, Hungary and Belgium will also organize unique art exhibitions in Macao. The “2nd Annual Arts Exhibition between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” will open in July, presenting a diverse and innovative cultural experience. From May to October, Macao will be imbued with a creative atmosphere, offering exciting and diverse artistic experiences to all.

Bringing arts close by the community to enhance the cultural landscape of the city
A number of events will be presented in phases, including the highlights of the  concert season by the Macao Orchestra and the Macao Chinese Orchestra, the International Youth Dance Festival, the International Youth Music Festival, the International Youth Drama Festival, “Growing with the SAR” Activity Series for the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region – Visual Arts Exhibitions of Macao Higher Education Institutions, the contemporary dance production “Under Siege” by Yang Liping, Haojiang Moonlight Night Dance Drama “Thangka”, “Love Road” at the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, and “2019! Outloud Street Art Festival”. Thematic talks and guided art tours will also be organized, bringing arts close by the community and encouraging the participation of people from all walks of life, offering a long and unforgettable artistic summer for all residents and tourists, while cultivating the humanistic spirit through art and enhancing the cultural landscape of the city.

The first edition of “Art Macao”, under the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, is organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Macao Government Tourism Office, and co-organized by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, the Higher Education Bureau, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited, MGM, Sands China Ltd., Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, S.A. (SJM), Wynn Macau, Limited, Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited, and various foreign consulates. Admission to most activities is free. For tickets and details, please visit the respective webpage at www.artmacao.mo, its official Instagram account “artmacao”, “IC Art” page on Facebook and WeChat account “ICmacao”.