Children’s arts festival adds more workshop sessions due to high demand

The president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), Deland Leong, said that the Macao International Children’s Arts Festival (MICAF) has added more workshop sessions this year due to high public demand.

Speaking to the media during a briefing after the plenary meeting of the Consultative Committee for Cultural Development, Leong noted that the festival’s updates were among the items on the meeting’s agenda.

“We have given a detailed presentation to our members about the second edition of MICAF, as well as the ongoing edition of Art Macao,” Leong said.

“During July and August, we have several activities taking place. This year, the second MICAF features nine sections and a total of 49 activities and performances across more than 1,000 sessions, including international performing arts programs, a large-scale musical, art exhibitions, a film festival, large outdoor events, art camps, music camps, workshops, and an art fair,” the official added.

At the briefing, Ieng Weng Fat, a spokesperson for the Committee, remarked that these two large-scale events are the key cultural offerings for the summer.

He noted that the government had taken into account last year’s evaluations, particularly regarding MICAF, and as a result, more sessions of popular programs – such as art camps and outdoor installations near the Cultural Center – have been added.

“The sessions have been increased so that more people can participate. During the meeting, members agreed this was a good initiative and acknowledged this year’s program optimization. We hope this festival will gain international recognition,” Ieng added.

Leong further explained that another aspect of the optimization involved adjustments to ticketing and packages to improve accessibility – especially for larger families.

“Some families have more members or want to attend more sessions. So, we have introduced more combinations. We’ve optimized the structure of the [ticket] packages,” Leong noted, adding, “Last year, some activities were very well received by families, such as the art camp. People can now pre-register for these at the Cultural Center Square. This year, we’ve also added more workshop sessions and additional performances tailored to babies, based on public feedback.”

Questioned by the media, Leong clarified that MICAF is mainly geared toward local families, with the majority of participants being residents rather than tourists.

She also announced that around 80% of all tickets for this year’s edition have already been sold.

Regarding Art Macao 2025, Leong said that committee members were also given a detailed overview of all the activities scheduled for this year’s program.