Pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem lake chosen to host several activities of Vietnam Festival of Creativity & Design 2022 (Photo: VNA) The VFCD 2022, the fourth edition of its kind, is organisedby RMIT University Vietnam in collaboration with UNESCO, Vietnam NationalInstitute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS), COLAB Vietnam and other partnersin the creative industries.
The programme will include cultural exploration tours,talks, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and various online activitiesdiscussing the visions, trends, cultural identity and future opportunities forcreative industries in Vietnam. Most events will not require entrance fees.
“We have seen massive global shifts created by the COVID-19pandemic,” said Professor Julia Gaimster, dean of RMIT School of Communication& Design.
“These include the ways in which people work, how theyconnect and communicate, and their priorities for the future. Our aim is tomake the festival sustainable for the future, to continue to create impact andsupport for the creative industries in Vietnam, and to provide opportunitiesfor a wider audience to engage with and understand the value of creativity inall aspects of our lives,” Julia said.
In anticipation of the main programme in November, this year’sfestival has opened up an unprecedented opportunity for cross-disciplinarycollaboration with the Creativity Challenge Playground.
Currently underway, this challenge pairs individuals,groups, organisations or businesses operating in at least two differentcreative fields.
Each pair will receive funding of 50 million VND (2,100 USD)and support from the organisers to generate ideas and produce prototypes ofcultural and creative products or services.
These prototypes will be showcased during the festival weeksin Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
“The Creative Challenge Playground is essentially a modelthat promotes interdisciplinary connectivity in creative practice,” saidAssociate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, deputy director of the VICAS.
“It forms ideas that embody ‘change for sustainabledevelopment’ – the theme of the challenge. We expect to create a playground toconnect, challenge and get Vietnamese talent to go beyond their creativecapacity. They can level up their knowledge and skills relating to culture,arts and creativity, while building their capacity for cross-disciplinaryproject execution and management.”
VFCD, initiated by RMIT University Vietnam in 2019, createsan open, timely and interactive platform for creative individuals andorganisations to engage with an extended audience online and offline.
It has contributed to driving partnerships and projectsamong organisations and individuals in the cultural-creative sector in Vietnam overthe past three years.
The festival organisation board is calling on the creativeand cultural communities in Vietnam to submit proposals for events andactivities to be featured in the festival this year.
Individuals, groups, organisations and enterprises arewelcomed to propose their ideas by 15th September 2022 via the registrationform.
By organising a series of creative activities that are opento all, VFCD is a catalyst to realise objectives of the National Strategy forthe Development of Cultural Industries in Vietnam.
At the same time, the festival supports the formation of a“creative belt” across the country through the eventual expansion of the UNESCOCreative Cities Network in Vietnam.
Hanoi was designatedas part of the network on October 30, 2019, according to the municipal Departmentof Culture and Sports.
UNESCO launched the Creative Cities Network in 2004 topromote cooperation among cities that recognise creativity as a significantfactor in their development.
The network recognises seven factors - craft and folk arts,media, film, design, gastronomy, literature, and music - as creative fields.
The capital city of Hanoi has a development history of over1,000 years, and has been in the process of reform and integration, takingcreativity and innovative economy as the core in its dynamic, comprehensive andsustainable development./.
VNA
