GEG’s Loving & Inclusive Arts Series | Diversified Approach to Bring Communities Together and Enrich the City’s Cultural Ambience

Service users of Seng Kong Se, AFEDMM and GEG volunteers got together for the Doraemon: Nobita’s New Dinosaur movie screening.

Throughout the years, Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) has employed a diversified approach for engaging in community service to care for different segments of community, cooperating with a number of social organizations, hosting different cultural and arts activities, and making good use of its own resources and property facilities. This December, GEG again introduced a series of outreach initiatives to promote social inclusiveness, including hosting of the Doraemon: Nobita’s New Dinosaur movie screening and “Jurassic × The Dinosaur Park” visit as well as sponsoring venues for the Hot Blood Youth Music Festival 2020 and a handkerchief printing workshop corresponding to the theme of the joint exhibition of Masking Tape & Handkerchief Design, extending a helping hand and sending warmth to those in need in society.

Youth Power Fuels Local Music Scene

The Music Festival brought together local youth in celebrating Macau’s return to the Motherland.

Broadway Macau has always been a social hub in our community, and this December, Broadway Food Street and Broadway Theatre have again been turned into the melting pot of music, art and culture.  Hosted by the Macao Hot Blooded Performing Arts Association, the Hot Blood Youth Music Festival 2020 brought together local musicians, performing arts groups, and musicians from mainland China for a holiday musical spectacular. On December 19, the Life Band of the Fuhong Society joined other local bands to perform at Broadway Macau. “Life Band is an inclusive band composed of disabled, autistic and able-bodied individuals.

Life Band made their first appearance at Broadway Macau, bringing self-created songs to the audience.

They really treasure this opportunity to perform in front of a crowd. For people with disabilities, they need more time to prepare for a performance; those with autism have a special memory, but they need to learn how to engage in the performance of a musical ensemble. They always hope to have an interactive music experience with other bands and learn from them,” said Representative of Life Band and the Hostel Manager of Fuhong Society of Macau Louis Ip Kok Kit. “The band’s name ‘life’ means to share the belief that music has no boundaries.”

Games, food and drinks sales and creative pieces were offered at the Hot Blood Youth Music Festival.

At the music festival, audience also enjoyed a relaxing and joyful evening of food and games at Broadway Food Street. “Thanks to GEG’s full support, artists are provided the venue and resources they need to perform on stage and we are able to make this one-stop event integrating music, cultural creation, and food happen. It is second to none in Macau,” said Lo Ka Seng, Director of Macau Hot Blooded Performing Arts Association.

Enhancing the Links between Art and Everyday Experiences 

By adapting artworks on paper tapes and handkerchiefs, artists tried to engage art in daily life in the exhibition.

Hosted by the Macau Illustrators Association, a joint exhibition of Masking Tape & Handkerchief Design was held at the M floor of Broadway Macau from December 18 to 31, displaying 150 illustrations created by illustrators from Macau, Mainland China and Japan in the theme of “love”. On the sideline of the exhibition, GEG invited the Association to present a handkerchief printing workshop to the service users of Fuhong Society of Macau where they used stamps created through the designs from the local illustrator Yolanda Kog to make combination with elements of streets of Macau on blank handkerchiefs. Yolanda said, “I am glad to work with 17 pairs of parents and children with learning disabilities to create unique works through this simplest form of print art. The rubber stamp design is all about Rua da Praia do Manduco, a historic, lively street on the Macau Peninsula with shops, restaurants and people that represent the local characteristics. Through these familiar patterns, I hope they can appreciate the unique beauty of Macau, thus loving more their home.”

Promoting Social Inclusion for A Happy Holiday

AFEDMM’s service users enjoyed the Doraemon: Nobita’s New Dinosaur movie screening with their families.

In early December, GEG invited service users at Seng Kong Se, Association of Parents of the People with Intellectual Disabilities of Macau (AFEDMM) for the Doraemon: Nobita’s New Dinosaur movie screening with their families at UA Galaxy Cinemas at Galaxy Macau.

GEG volunteer team distributed holiday gifts to service users at Seng Kong Se, AFEDMM.

“This event provides members with intellectual disabilities and their parents a chance to celebrate Christmas at the movie. By giving them opportunities to connect with the outside world, I believe it would enhance their independent living capabilities,” said Lo Kwok Chung, Center Head of Seng Kong Se, AFEDMM.

Parents and their child rode on a dinosaur skull for a surprising holiday experience.

“Jurassic × The Dinosaur Park” landed on Boardway Macau on December 18. GEG invited service users from the Macau Association for the Mentally Handicapped, Richmond Fellowship of Macau, Love and Joy for Macau Children Association, and Macau Deaf Association for a one-of-a-kind experience on the first day of its opening and in late December. GEG volunteer teams accompanied the associations’ service users to explore the park, taking them back to the era of dinosaurs to experience the overwhelming sensation at the heyday of dinosaurs. Kylie Leung, a parent from Love and Joy for Macau Children Association said, “This dinosaur exhibition allows children to get close to dinosaurs, creating a learning opportunity for them through the journey.”

———MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY MAKING A COMMITMENT———