Hui says that, because most visitors to Macau are families or holidaymakers rather than art collectors, exhibitions need to be creatively put together. “Unlike how international art collectors, museum people or curators fly to Hong Kong for Art Basel, Macau hasn’t developed [its art scene] to that level yet,” he says. But, he adds, if you select the artist and works carefully, people will visit the city specifically to see them. “If you have a lot more of this type of international high-level art programme, you will definitely attract the art crowd.”

Jason Naylor, a graffiti artist from New York, was one of the international artists attracted to Macau and had his works featured at the Meet the Magic: In Celebration of Disney 100 exhibition by Sands China, a show that ran until October 15 where he and British contemporary artist Philip Colbert interpreted the iconic Mickey Mouse character in their own pop art styles. He sees Macau having a “pop art ecosystem”, where art is shown next to casinos and shopping malls, as a good fit for his practice. “For me, art should be accessible to everyone. My experience with the Asian market in general is that the bright colours and pop characters have a lot of appeal. The people here my Mickey exhibition here is so fun.”

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While the visual arts side is a relatively new addition to the territory, Macau has long attracted A-list performing artists, including K-pop stars Blackpink, four-time Grammy winner Sam Smith and Mando-pop sensation Jay Chou. Sands China’s president Dr Wilfred Wong explains that it’s the facilities that give Macau an edge over its regional competitors. “The best example is [Hong Kong singer] Jacky Cheung. He decided to choose Macau as the first leg of his [60+ Concert Tour] in June 2023, before other Asian cities. The reason he gave was that he needed a long rehearsal time and a lot of rehearsal space. We have our hotels, ballrooms and practice rooms, which we could offer to him for two months, whereas if he were in Hong Kong, he would get the Coliseum, but there was no way for him to do the rehearsals,” he says. “International artists like Celine Dion and Bruno Mars, who performed at our theatres, all came with a big team. Sands has more than 12,000 rooms of different grades.”

The fact that venues in Macau are generally far newer than Hong Kong—and there are fewer local groups—makes Macau an easier option for staging shows. In Hong Kong, even major arts groups such as the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hong Kong Ballet can’t get more than a couple of weekends for a show because the venues are in high demand.

While Macau’s resort groups are steering themselves towards a more culture-oriented model, Wong admits that gaming remains the lifeline of Sands China’s business, as “it’s probably the most profitable”. The group’s pillars are in hotels, F&B, entertainment, exhibition, retail and the Cotai ferry. “As for the art part, we don’t look at it as [generating] a [financial] return. It’s a contribution to the community.” He mentions, for example, that the group didn’t focus on the profitability of The Floral Princess, a Cantonese opera remake staged in July this year. “Instead, we look at how well we have reached out to the community and how the community sees us as a responsible corporation that helps to promote arts and culture.”

That said, Un stressed: “When you have an art biennale like this, it brings job and business opportunities to the transport, event organisation, public relations, F&B, retail and hospitality industries.”

There was art in the city long before Art Macao: the Macao Art Museum has been running for 20 years; the Macao International Music Festival started back in 1987; and The Macao Arts Festival was set up in 1990. These, in addition to the city’s many Unesco World Heritage Sites, already meant it was an ideal destination for arts and cultural tourism. “The city-wide art biennale further adds variety, quantity and international acts to the existing art scene,” Un says.

Thanks to Macau’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, which has been heavily investing in paid ads on Hong Kong’s TVB channel, media coverage and billboards in regional cities, and individual art companies that actively promote their shows on social media, people outside Macau have become more aware of its art happenings. Un says that she has received feedback from tourists who said they came to Macau in August for a day trip, visiting the art biennale during the day and attending a Macao Orchestra concert or The Sound of Music show at Macao Cultural Centre in the evening. “That month, the daily estimate of incoming tourists, with a majority from mainland China and Hong Kong, was 90,000, which is similar to the pre-pandemic times.”

While the number of local galleries currently open in the city is very limited, there is hope that the art biennale will help bring Macau’s local art and artists to the foreground. Thomas Lo, an independent graffiti artist from Macau, was invited by Galaxy Macau to design one of the Be@rbrick dolls displayed in the hotel. He feels that Art Macao offered him the rare chance to be promoted alongside international artists. “It provides a good opportunity for Macau artists to gain more exposure,” says the artist, who is now even more determined to stay in his hometown to develop his career. “Additionally, Art Macao also offers lectures and workshops to the public who can experience [and learn about] various artforms, instead of only showcasing art pieces.”

Sam Kin Hang, an animator who has been promoting Macau’s heritage and history through a cartoon character, a shell-less traveller tortoise, adds that there is a lesser-known, local side to Macau which he wants to show the world with his work. He says, “The Macau government’s current emphasis on the local art community has enabled residents and tourists to appreciate local art more.”

Hui sees the potential for Macau and the rest of Greater Bay Area to join forces and showcase their unique talents and resources. He suggests, for example, that the cities work on plans to attract international tourists to Macau after visiting Hong Kong’s Art Basel. “Hong Kong is still considered the art trading hub of Asia, but Macau has the ambition to make arts and culture one of its main pillars, and it can also showcase its own local culture,” Hui says. “While each city has its unique focus, their synergy can help build an art ecology in the area.”

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