A series of art events, dubbed “Barra ARTivation,” was launched by MGM China yesterday, as part of its undertaking to revitalise the historic Barra district.
According to a statement from the gaming concessionaire, the programme features murals, floral displays, performances and a historical photography exhibition, which are aimed at introducing “contemporary, trendy, artistic, and lifestyle elements into Barra and drive the continuous development of the district.”
As part of the launch, MGM invited six troupes from countries such as Portugal and Spain, which are set to take part in the upcoming 2024 Macao International parade, to perform in the area.
Another highlight of the project will be a 64-metre-long mural that will be painted by Macao street art duo AAFK and more than 150 students and senior residents in Navy Yard No. 2.
[See more: More details of the Barra gentrification scheme have been announced]
Speaking to media about the art project, Anny Chong of AAFK, said that she hopes the use of graffiti as part of the revitalisation initiative will allow people to realise that the artform is appropriate for everyone, irrespective of age.
According to MGM’s senior vice president of brand marketing, Catarina Lio, who spoke with local media, the company has “worked with different artists, associations, elderly and children to make good use of every part of the site during the revitalisation process.”
She also noted that MGM hopes the initiative will help emphasise Barra’s mix of Eastern and Western cultures.
The initiative is part of an obligation borne by all casino operators to invest in non-gaming ventures. In 2022, the SAR’s six concessionaires licences were renewed under the condition that they would collectively invest a total of 100 billion patacas by 2032 to help develop non-gaming infrastructure in areas such as culture, tourism, events and urban regeneration.
