Briefs | Int’l Music Festival adapts to Covid-19 by inviting local performers

Due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the Macao International Music Festival, originally scheduled for October this year, will have a different format. Themed ‘For a Special Year’, this year’s festival will present nine programs and a total of 20 performances by local music groups starting from August 22. As the coronavirus has presented uncertainties in regard to artists’ transportation, logistics and rehearsal arrangements, resulting in the inability for overseas performing groups to come to Macau, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) has decided that this year’s Festival will be largely based on local concerts. This year’s Festival presents free of charge concerts and activities. Registration for the workshops and activities should be made through the IC website from August 17.

MGTO supports Alipay’s GBA rewards festival for retailers

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is supporting digital platform Alipay to organize the “Greater Bay Area Mega Rewards Festival”, designed to promote Macau-based retail brands and shops with special characteristics within Guangdong province through multiple online and offline discount and promotional activities. According to a government statement, the festival aims to attract Guangdong tourists to travel to Macau and shop, thereby supporting the tourism-led revival of the city’s economy. Alipay kicked off the Festival on August 10 with over 20,000 participating stores in Macau equipped with Alipay launching a variety of discounts and promotions. These offers are also promoted on the “Macao Ready Go!” online platform rolled out by the MGTO. According to the same statement, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes assured that Macau is ready and prepared to welcome mainland visitors.

IC publishes latest issue of museums newsletter

The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) has published the latest “Newsletter of Museums and Exhibitions of IC,” introducing recent and upcoming exhibitions of the Macao Museum and the Macao Museum of Art with illustrations and articles. It also introduces children’s picture books, exhibition albums and artworks collections, including “Music Road of Xian Xinghai”, “The Long Journey: The Forbidden City” and the “Maritime Silk Road and Red December – Carlos Marreiros”. The issue is available free of charge at distribution points. An electronic version of the publication is also available on the IC website for the public to access.