Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), the 23rd Macao City Fringe Festival was successfully concluded at the end of September. Aimed to take the public on a “leisurely stroll around the city”, the Fringe Festival this year staged 18 extraordinary programmes and 13 outreach activities, presenting over 100 sessions of activities and gathering more than 80 artists to explore the characteristics of the city. Utilising unconventional performance venues, the Festival infused artistic creativity into the community and deepened the connection between culture and community development. The event attracted nearly 9,000 participants and received enthusiastic support from residents and tourists.
This edition of the Fringe Festival continued to feature the Crème de la Fringe series, encouraging art groups to curate mini-festivals integrated in the Fringe Festival that presented the characteristics of Macao and its cultural heritage in diverse ways. The “TOMATO” Interactive Digital Theatre Showcase of the Crème de la Fringe series broke the boundaries of traditional theatre through digital platforms, inviting participants to stroll through different districts in Macao and explore the memories hidden in the corners of the city. The “Clowns for Complicité Festival” offered an unexpected clown theatrical experience through interactive theatrical performances and outreach activities, allowing the audience to roar with laughter and enjoy joyful moments.
Several programmes ventured through the neighbourhoods, revealing the connection between the community and culture through artistic expression. The Old House of Orchid recounted the story of the “coolie trade” through music and storytelling. Chow T. II employed Quanzhou marionettes to guide the audience to explore the conflicts of the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, family memories and personal growth. Swinging Deck presented the Inner Harbour where memories merge with dreamlike visions through a combination of augmented reality (AR) and reality. A Reunion in Solitude delicately invited the audience to reflect on “reunion” through a solo performance in a timeworn Chinese restaurant.
In addition, the participatory exhibition “Art Exhibition for All” was held at Praça dos Lótus in Bairro da Ilha Verde and near the Flower City Park, providing spaces for residents to showcase their creativity and talent. The “Fringe Exchange: Connect with Festivals” invited representatives from performing arts events and theatre organisations in Beijing, Australia and Malaysia to share their curatorial experience and programme selection criteria, providing practical information for local artists and art groups.
In the future, IC will continue to establish platforms for local artists and groups and broaden theirspace for development, with the aim of presenting a rich and diverse array of cultural programmes to residents.
