Cultural and Creative Industries’ Development Needs Time

Kristy Chan

There is an old saying: “Everyone is born with talents.” What are your talents? Some people discover their talents by chance and develop them as skills in life.

“In my childhood, Macao was still a small city and the living standard was poor. I had no toys to play with, so I went out to the open space near my home and played with my neighbors. Sometimes, I used a chalk to draw things on the ground. This experience developed my sense of art,” said Chan Wai Fai, a Macao comic creator.

There are local people who participated in different forms of art, for instance, water-paintings, sketches, sculptures, graphic designs, videos and others. These artists take arts as their life-long interests. Some of them establish non-profit organizations such as the Macau 10 Fantasia, Associação dos Criadores de Macau and the Art for All Society aim to exhibit the work of Macao artists.

In recent years, their works are recognized by the Macao government. The Macao government aims to develop creative industries. It is one of the strategies for economic diversification. The Cultural and Creative Industries Committee was formed in 2010. It has promulgated the policy of cultural industry in five areas: promotion, funding, training of personnel, legal assistance and research. Macau Daily Times newspaper reported on December 4, 2011 the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao, Cheong U, announced a fund for the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) will be launched this year.

Macao is working hard for boosting CCI, but more work has to be done for its development in the future. Some local art associations express their opinions about higher Macao citizens’ participation in arts and support of the government will make the CCI a sustainable development in Macao.

Chan Wai Fai whose pen name as A Cheng, a Macao comic creator, the Executive Director of Macau 10 Fantasia and a Committee Member of the Creative Industries Promotional Association of St. Lazarus Church District of Macao, expressed that CCI is more likely to be a cultural exchange than industry.

“In this stage, it is a cultural exchange between painters, not making it as any kind of industry. Perhaps there are a few great artists who can sell their works”. He added his publications are financially supported by the government. “Take painting as your interest rather than business, then you are happier, persevered to continue with arts”. He believes that CCI is a beginning in Macao and there is a long way to go and “learners’ heart and perseverance will make art a difference”.

“The load of work and stress of our citizens make no time for appreciation of art, art is something that should involve everyone’s participation,” said Coke Wong, the Director of Art for All Society. He added that the government has been working hard for the CCI promotion. It acts as “farmers” in cultivating the industry and when time comes, the society will get its “harvest”.

“Macao is a great place for arts. The most inspiring thing here is that there are many artists and writers who have chosen Macao as their subject,” said Christopher Kelen, an associate professor teaching courses in Creative Writing, Poetry and Children's Literature in the English Department, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Macau.

He expressed there could be more space for improvement in the environment. The government and the casinos could offer support to artists for work and development. For instance, there could be fellowships and other kinds of grant. These financial supports enable artists to work creatively in full time.

“Creative industry is a start in the meantime. It is a beginning but we need the first step in order to develop further,” said Sio Ng, the founder and chairman of Associação dos Criadores de Macau, a non-profit organization founded in 2005. It aims to gather the creative works of artists in different professions together, developing and promoting the creative industry of Macao.

Ng believes that there are many opportunities in every industry but people need to find them by themselves. She expressed students can develop connections with their teachers or lecturers first. “When you know one person in that profession, you will get to know more. The lecturers will introduce you more people so you will build your networks further, most importantly, you have to be open-minded and find more opportunities,” she suggested to the youth of Macao.

Art is the work for appreciation. It needs the participation of our citizens. In the long run, the government could set up education of art from elementary levels. It aims to foster people’s interest and initiative for participation. The government’s work will foster the increasing appearance and recognition of local arts. Tourists will appreciate our city with values and willing to stay beyond those casinos. Meanwhile the development of CCI takes time as Andy Warhol, an influential figure in contemporary art once said: "The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting."

To tend

Christopher Kelen

to tend the gods as given, as found

new habits of homage are required

in word untamed, in sight unframed

paths to follow are so chosen,

by you, for you, willing, blind

go to the makers

not to the mockers

trouble to tell them apart

dust of the world you’re sleeping off

lonely under feats of self

but work outlasts if you stay with the tune

survives you and the all that wearied

mockers, thieves and smug ignorers

in the end they scale away

so

get the toxins out of your system

protect yourself

protect your spark

light in the eyes may be derided

spring in the step, its menace is met

but you, brave word and image maker

you face the dark without, within

for you the tale untold doffs cap

the wheels take on their fated spin

if you’ll remember one injunction

go to the makers

never the mockers

tend to the habits of homage

you’ve found.