Hanoi to Host Creative Design Festival 2024 in November

Hanoi will host the Creative Design Festival 2024 in November, celebrating creativity with art installations, exhibitions, and contests to promote the city's innovative spirit.

Hanoi is gearing up to host the Creative Design Festival 2024 from November 9 to 17, an event aimed at promoting and honoring the capital's creative resources. This annual festival, organized by a coalition of local authorities and cultural organizations, underscores Hanoi’s commitment as a member of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, further solidifying its status as a hub for cultural and creative industries.

Theme and Focus: "Creative Crossroads"
Under the theme "Creative Crossroads," the festival will bring together various stakeholders, including the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, the Vietnam Association of Architects, UNESCO's Hanoi Office, and the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee. The event will feature exhibitions, creative design contests, and seminars aimed at encouraging young people to actively participate in shaping the future of Hanoi’s urban and cultural spaces.

The festival serves as a platform to raise awareness among businesses and the wider community about the importance of creativity in fostering cultural and socio-economic development.

A Creative Journey Through Hanoi's Landmarks
The festival’s activities will be centered around some of Hanoi's most iconic architectural landmarks. The primary venue will be August Revolution Square, with additional events extending along the North-South axis (Ly Thai To Street – Le Thanh Tong Street) and East-West axis (Bac Co Slope – Trang Tien Street). These routes will connect venues such as the Hanoi Children's Palace, National History Museum, Bac Bo Palace, Hanoi Opera House, and flower gardens along Phan Chu Trinh and Ly Thuong Kiet streets.

Visitors will be able to explore immersive creative spaces, including installations and outdoor art displays, in the courtyards of the Hanoi Children’s Palace, the National History Museum, and various public gardens along the festival route.

Exhibitions, Art Installations, and Creative Contests
A diverse array of creative displays and exhibitions will be featured throughout the festival, including:

- Outdoor art installations: Focusing on Hanoi’s architectural and cultural heritage, with memorabilia displays and educational heritage themes.
- Creative exhibitions: Showcasing works in fields such as fine arts, photography, fashion, and painting.
- Contests for young designers: Encouraging the next generation of creative minds to contribute to urban planning and cultural projects.
Additionally, the festival will include art performances that highlight Hanoi’s intangible cultural heritage, alongside cinema, theater, and circus presentations. Fashion shows featuring collections by young designers and performances by modern dance teams will add to the vibrant atmosphere.

Promoting Cultural and Heritage Experiences
In keeping with its focus on creativity and heritage, the festival will also offer cultural tours showcasing the beauty of Hanoi’s architecture and history. Visitors can expect to participate in heritage explorations and experience creative ideas in real-time as part of parades and street performances.

Traditional Vietnamese cuisine will also be part of the experience, with creative twists on classic dishes available at various points along the festival’s route.

Growing Hanoi's Creative Hub
The 2023 edition of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival attracted over 60,000 visitors, and organizers hope for even more engagement in 2024. Since Hanoi’s inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2019, the city has made significant strides in integrating creativity into its urban development, supporting new economic growth models rooted in culture and innovation.

Hanoi’s young, dynamic population is seen as a driving force in its transformation into a talent hub for design and creative industries. However, the city’s leaders acknowledge the challenges in developing a sustained creative community, citing the need for continued investment in infrastructure and international cooperation.

The UNESCO office in Hanoi praised the city’s progress, highlighting the strong "air of creativity" but also stressing that more work is needed to maintain this momentum.