Expo organizer hopes to export local showbiz

Organizers of the inaugural Asia Performance Entertainment Expo hope to export local singers and shows, while gathering entertainment stakeholders for business matching opportunities.

The expo will be held from Nov. 17 to 19 at Cotai Expo at the Venetian Macao. Alongside the expo, a series of concerts will also be held at the Venetian, where owner Sands China Ltd. is the venue sponsor of the event.

Conceding that show business of Macau is 40 years behind its counterparts in Hong Kong, Taiwan or mainland China, Jones Chong, executive committee member of the Asia-Pacific Live Performance Industry Association, the organizing body of the expo, hopes to export local singers and shows from Macau through the expo.

Founded on a business-to-business (B2B) approach, the expo will feature industry practitioners from all over the world, according to Chong, and he is hopeful that Macau performers and practitioners will see opportunities for certain business matching.

Adding to Chong’s comment, Simon Tse, executive committee member and honorary secretary of the association, was confident that there will be single or album premieres at the expo, hinting that local performers will be able to utilize the expo as a platform to promote themselves and perform for external show organizers.

This is also the reason why the expo will be suitable for the general public. Tse believes that the prospective premieres, or launching sessions, will help gather local audiences at the expo.

Chong added that the expo may appeal to some members of the public who have an interest in looking behind the stage to understand how the industry operates and what it takes to get a show organized.

Tse also revealed his confidence that the expo will create space for new players to debut or showcase their abilities. Industry practitioners and show organizers will have the chance to make deals with these prospective stars, which will be much more affordable than hiring big names.

To underline his comment, he cited Eric Tsang, Hong Kong TVB’s general manager for content operations, as saying that the TV station has a lot of artists and performers who could be featured, and who were ready for the stage and fresh opportunities.

Although some neighboring regions have a more developed and sophisticated show business, Macau was picked as the location of the inaugural event. When asked by the Times about the reason behind the choice of location, Chong explained that the association is a non-profit entity, underlining the shortage of both human and financial resources to host the event.

He then took the opportunity to thank Sands China Ltd. for sponsoring the venue costs, which has eased any financial pressure on the association. This is also why Macau was chosen as the location of the expo.

Alongside the expo, the inaugural KoolTai Macao Music Fes. 2023 music festival, will feature big names in the industry such as Suede, Lisa Ono and Jessie J. performing in the two-day event held at the Cotai Expo from Nov. 11 to 12.

On Nov. 17-18, the “The Storm Show” movie will be screened at the Venetian Theater. It is a videographed musical of the movie of the same name based on Hong Kong comic writer Ma Wing-shing’s Fung Wan story. The musical stars renowned actors from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Pakho Chau “Seize the Moment” World Tour 2023 will be held at Cotai Arena Nov. 17. On Nov. 18, Cotai Arena will see the signature program: “Enjoy the Present, Create the Future” concert, featuring singers from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Outdoor community performances in major cultural districts in Macau and Taipa will be held from Nov. 13 to 16.