CAMP FOR ARTISTS: The HCM City Arts Camp 2023 attracts young painters, photographers, theatre artists and musicians. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HCM CITY — An art camp attracting painters, photographers, theatre artists and musicians has been launched by the HCM City Theatre’s Association and HCM City Fine Arts Association. 

The HCM City Arts Camp 2023 includes field trips and visits to local museums and galleries. Tourist sites and historical relics are also featured. 

The artists will join workshops and discussions on theatre, music producing and composing, contemporary fine arts, exhibition-making and art projects. 

Works featuring different forms of traditional theatre and music will be released in videos, documentary films and books as a way to bring the arts closer to audiences. 

After the camp, artists will also have a chance to showcase their works and further develop their career.

According to theatre director Tôn Thất Cần, deputy chairman of HCM City Theatre’s Association, the association encourages young artists, and folk and ethnic artisans to join the camp. “We will work with traditional art clubs and centres to offer new methods helping the artists release their art online,” he said. 

The camp’s first group of 30 artists, including Meritorious Artist and musician Thế Hiển and famous painter Hứ Thanh Bình, made trips to Nhà Bè and Bình Chách districts on April 4. 

FIND FOR NEW IDEAS: The HCM City Fine Arts Association has held field trips and creative camps every year to encourage artists to find new topics and inspiration for work. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

Promoting arts

The HCM City Fine Arts Association sent 20 artists to participate in the HCM City Arts Camp 2023. 

The association was established on November 28 in 1981 and has supported the city’s artists to introduce their works to the public.

In the beginning, it had only 300 members, including leading artists such as Trang Phượng, Quách Phong and Huỳnh Phương Đông.

The association now has nearly 1,000 members and 10 clubs of young artists, women artists, veteran artists and ethnic Hoa artists, among others.

It has organised numerous exhibitions featuring its members’ works which reflect the development of Vietnamese arts and connect artists with art lovers.

The association organised 262 exhibitions attracting more than 7,000 amateur and professional artists in the last five years. Many programmes to support young artists were also launched. 

Along with exhibitions, the association also holds field trips and creative camps every year to encourage artists to find new topics and inspiration for work. 

Sculptor Nguyễn Xuân Tiên, chairman of the association, said his association helps connect artists in the city and all over the country who want to share their works with art lovers.

“We are working to host exchange programmes with artists from Southeast Asian countries and other countries to offer opportunities for local artists to learn from experienced artists,” he said. — VNS