The poster of the event. Photo courtesy of the organisers

HÀ NỘI Hà Nội will kick off a year-long creative journey this week with the official launch of Creative Meetups, setting the tone for the Hà Nội Festival of Creative Design scheduled for November 2026.

The Creative Meetups event will be held on January 10 and 11 at Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục Square, the Octagonal House and public spaces around Hoàn Kiếm Lake. Nearly 200 participants are expected, including designers, artisans and local production units who will present innovative and commercially viable products across eight cultural industry sectors.

The event is designed as an open platform to strengthen connections and collaboration among the creative community, businesses, distributors and market partners.

It will also introduce practical models for developing the capital’s cultural industries and reveal potential spaces for creative growth, helping to shape a creative urban ecosystem and promote Hà Nội’s creative economy.

The opening ceremony will take place on January 10 at Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục Square, featuring an artistic programme by the cultural and artistic platform Lên Ngàn. The ceremony marks the official launch of the Hà Nội Festival of Creative Design 2026 and signals the beginning of a year-long series of creative activities.

Four Creative Forums will be organised at the Octagonal House and Lý Thái Tổ Flower Garden, offering open spaces for dialogue, idea-sharing and networking around urban culture and community.

Topics include the introduction of a Creative Potential Survey Project, the launch of the book Creating Change - The Journey of Building Livable Communities in Southeast Asia and discussions on the shift from annual festivals to sustainable urban creative ecosystems.

An architectural pavilion at the Octagonal House will present an overview of the Hà Nội Creative Design Festival’s development from 2021 to the present, while also serving as a venue for discussion and exchanges on heritage and creativity.

The programme includes an exhibition of 90 cultural industry initiatives from Hà Nội across eight sectors. A separate exhibition will showcase creative brands and community projects, with participation from educational institutions, businesses and creative studios.

In another area, nearly 50 local creative brands will present products spanning design, handicrafts and art. This space is intended to support market testing, collaboration and distribution within the cultural industries.

Another highlight is a series of community art performances staged across multiple venues. The performances showcase a dynamic blend of traditional and contemporary forms, including Xẩm, Ca Trù and Chèo alongside acoustic music, contemporary dance, street performances and rock, all aimed at spreading creativity and shared human values. VNS