Gaming ops’ entertainment events generate MOP1.1b in 2023

The city’s six integrated resort operators in Macau hosted concerts and large-scale entertainment performances last year, resulting in MOP1.1 billion in box office revenue and drawing an audience of approximately one million spectators.

Deland Leong, director of Cultural Affairs Bureau, said these impressive numbers were a testament to Macau’s significant potential to capture the cultural consumption market at the opening of the 3rd ArtBiz Asia Art Forum.

The official expressed her hope to leverage the influx of people attending performing arts events to drive increased participation in the city’s cultural tourism sector.

Data from 2023 indicates that Macau hosted over 2,000 large-scale performance events organized by both government and private enterprise, as well as more than 10,000 total arts and cultural activities that attracted nearly 20 million participants.

The director noted that the cultural industry is a key component in Macau’s moderately diversified “1+4” economic development strategy. To promote Macau as a “performing city”, authorities have enacted a series of initiatives aimed at catalyzing cross-sector synergies and elevating the city’s cultural brand.

The government official said the aim is to enhance the diversity of performing arts in Macau by introducing and coordinating a broader array of events and programs. This will enable individuals to gain a multifaceted understanding of Macau’s cultural richness.

As an example, the bureau has planned to initiate the first-ever International Children’s Art Festival during the months of July and August. This festival will encompass stage performances, exhibitions, outdoor installations, and workshops, all designed to ignite children’s passion for art.

Looking ahead, the Macau SAR government plans to launch a new round of the “Local Performance Commissioning and Production Plan” to create more iconic and representative artistic and cultural works.

Furthermore, as of this year, 30 Macau projects have been shortlisted for funding from the National Arts Fund. In 2022, the government also initiated a matched funding scheme that supported the implementation of 11 National Arts Fund-backed initiatives in Macau, some of which have been showcased in other locales. Howard Tong