Isan Creative Festival 2025 Transforms Regional Pride into Economic Power
Larb Koi Universe : An exhibition showcasing two iconic Isan dishes, Larb' and 'Koi,' as cultural DNA reflecting the essence of Isan people. It also explores fusion food trends, branding opportunities, and new food cultures.
: An exhibition showcasing two iconic Isan dishes, Larb' and 'Koi,' as cultural DNA reflecting the essence of Isan people. It also explores fusion food trends, branding opportunities, and new food cultures. NEXT STATION 'Pla Ra' : An interactive talk exploring 'Pla Ra' (traditional Thai fermented fish) not merely as food, but as a cultural symbol and economic asset. The session will pave the way for the establishment of a 'Pla Ra Institute' and showcase dishes that highlight Isan's soft power.
: An interactive talk exploring 'Pla Ra' (traditional Thai fermented fish) not merely as food, but as a cultural symbol and economic asset. The session will pave the way for the establishment of a 'Pla Ra Institute' and showcase dishes that highlight Isan's soft power. Creative Wisdom Talk: A thought-leadership seminar designed to empower creative entrepreneurs with business insights. This activity equips creative entrepreneurs with strategies for success, featuring topics like "Michelin-Starred Business for Isan Cuisine" by Nay-Witchupol Charoensupaya from NAWA (a 1-Michelin Star restaurant) and "Customer-Centric Mindset" by Jo-Thana Thienachariya, Dean of H.O.W., among others
ISAN Music Talent : A vibrant intergenerational stage that brings together both seasoned and up-and-coming Isan musicians. This platform offers opportunities for emerging artists to showcase their talent and connect with broader audiences throughout the festival.
: A vibrant intergenerational stage that brings together both seasoned and up-and-coming Isan musicians. This platform offers opportunities for emerging artists to showcase their talent and connect with broader audiences throughout the festival. Local Voice Panel (Hosted by Thai PBS) : An authentic platform that reflects the voices of the local communities, this panel delves into the future of local music businesses and community-based music commerce. It will also explore the evolving landscape of homegrown music distribution and the sustainable growth of Isan's musical ecosystem.
: An authentic platform that reflects the voices of the local communities, this panel delves into the future of local music businesses and community-based music commerce. It will also explore the evolving landscape of homegrown music distribution and the sustainable growth of Isan's musical ecosystem. ISAN Cinema House : A creative initiative transforms communities into "film knowledge incubation centers," to support the work of Isan filmmakers and directors through the "Doc Club & Pub" Isan model. It focuses on building a film community and nurturing the film industry in Isan.
: A creative initiative transforms communities into "film knowledge incubation centers," to support the work of Isan filmmakers and directors through the "Doc Club & Pub" Isan model. It focuses on building a film community and nurturing the film industry in Isan. Content Lab 2025: Newcomers: A career-oriented session featuring insights from Thai Film and Series industry invites filmmakers and those interested in behind-the-scenes work to exchange perspectives on the industry, such as Pimpaka Towira (producer, film director, international film festival organizer), Aticha Tanthanawigrai (film director and screenwriter), and Pairach Khumwan (film and advertising director), etc.
' Back to Isan!' Pavilion [The Answer for Homecomers Is Here]: This exhibition compiles stories of Isan homecomers who are building their futures through branding, creative studios, social initiatives, and small businesses rooted in cultural capital. This showcases how coming home can be a forward-thinking strategy for urban and regional development.
This exhibition compiles stories of Isan homecomers who are building their futures through branding, creative studios, social initiatives, and small businesses rooted in cultural capital. This showcases how coming home can be a forward-thinking strategy for urban and regional development. ISAN MU-NIVERSE : An exhibition reimagines Isan crafts in a new context linking 'mutelu' (belief in superstition) with contemporary design. It harnesses the skills of over 300,000 artisans and a vast community network to position crafts within the mutelu market as a new economic driver.
: An exhibition reimagines Isan crafts in a new context linking 'mutelu' (belief in superstition) with contemporary design. It harnesses the skills of over 300,000 artisans and a vast community network to position crafts within the mutelu market as a new economic driver. ' ISAN SOUL PROUD' Fashion Show : This runway event brings together top Isan designers and AI technology to present a unique fashion experience that blends tradition with innovation, offering a fresh perspective on regional design.
: This runway event brings together top Isan designers and AI technology to present a unique fashion experience that blends tradition with innovation, offering a fresh perspective on regional design. ISAN Showcase : Explore a curated selection of distinctive handicrafts, artworks, and design pieces from 30 talented creatives. This showcase highlights the potential in Isan's craft sector and equips local entrepreneurs stepping into the creative economy. As part of its broader mission, selected participants will have the opportunity to join the ISAN MICE Expo 2025 — an international trade exhibition that serves as a gateway to expanded business opportunities and greater market exposure.
: Explore a curated selection of distinctive handicrafts, artworks, and design pieces from 30 talented creatives. This showcase highlights the potential in Isan's craft sector and equips local entrepreneurs stepping into the creative economy. As part of its broader mission, selected participants will have the opportunity to join the ISAN MICE Expo 2025 — an international trade exhibition that serves as a gateway to expanded business opportunities and greater market exposure. ISANCF x KUPPER ART FES 2025 : Under the theme "Sky Limitless," this dynamic art platform invites audiences to discover the depth and diversity of Isan through a wide range of artistic expressions.
: Under the theme "Sky Limitless," this dynamic art platform invites audiences to discover the depth and diversity of Isan through a wide range of artistic expressions. Creative Market (D-KAK Market): A vibrant marketplace featuring creative talents, artists, and local entrepreneurs. The market is divided into two zones: D-KAK D-Craft, which showcases handcrafted products by local makers and community enterprises, and the Creative Food Market, a culinary hotspot offering regional delicacies. Designed to foster business connections, idea exchange, and new partnerships.
TCDC Khon Kaen (Kangsadan District) – A dynamic hub for emerging thinkers and creators, serving as an incubator for ideas and a testbed for creative economy and future lifestyle innovations.
– A dynamic hub for emerging thinkers and creators, serving as an incubator for ideas and a testbed for creative economy and future lifestyle innovations. Pullman Khon Kaen Hotel – A regional center for conferences, seminars, and cultural festivals in this MICE City, driving significant economic impact across the city.
– A regional center for conferences, seminars, and cultural festivals in this MICE City, driving significant economic impact across the city. Columbo Creative District – A vibrant craft village where daily life and creativity intertwine. With over 20 various studios, this area is being transformed into a model creative district powered by collective creativity.
– A vibrant craft village where daily life and creativity intertwine. With over 20 various studios, this area is being transformed into a model creative district powered by collective creativity. Sawathi Community – Proudly upholding traditional Isan ways of life, passed down through generations. At its heart is Wat Chai Sri, home to over 100-year-old mural paintings, or 'Hoop Taem Sinsai.' This community leverages its cultural capital, lifestyle, and local wisdom to develop learning centers, arts, and traditions, creating new opportunities for the community and accommodating tourists, evolving into the 'Sawathi Creative Cultural Community Model.'
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 July 2025 - In an era where creativity is the driving force behind economic and social development, the presence of a regional creative festival in Isan — the Northeast region of Thailand — is more essential than ever. It goes beyond art, culture, and innovation; it serves as a vital platform that inspires Isan natives who have moved to larger cities to return home, applying their potential, knowledge, and experience to uplift their hometowns.— now in its fifth year — is organized by the Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization), or CEA. The festival opens its doors to those ready to reshape Isan, offering a space for idea exchange, thought-provoking dialogue, and real-world implementation of bold projects across art, music, film, design, technology, crafts, food, community, and business.This year's theme, "ISAN SOUL PROUD," celebrates the region's cultural identity and will run for nine days, from 28 June to 6 July 2025 in Khon Kaen. The festival embodies the spirit of local pride and supports sustainable urban development by unlocking the full potential of the people of Isan.ISANCF2025 is not just a showcase of creativity — it's a launchpad forand a thriving. It encourages Isan natives and creatives across Thailand to return, reimagine, and revitalize their hometowns. It also aims to redefine perceptions of Isan by showcasing pride in the region's identity — not as a place in need, but rather a creative stage of the future, rich with potential and poised to become a vibrant hub of economic opportunity, culture, and creativity.This year's festival highlights theacross its natural resources, way of life, culinary heritage, and traditional culture. These unique identities are being reimagined and communicated in new ways, giving rise to "creative businesses" that generate local income and inspire a new generation to return home and redefine Isan's image.The festival spotlights three key creative industries:with curated programs that turn culture into opportunity.Isan food is more than just flavor — it is a heritage and wisdom passed down through generations. This year's festival invites everyone to experience:The sounds of the khaen, morlam, and local music will revive traditional Isan music with fresh vigor to empower regional music creators:In addition, ISANCF2025 will host the— the first international academic forum dedicated to advancing design and innovation in the region. Organized by, the, and the, the summit will take place onISANCF2025 also shines a spotlight on the spatial and cultural potential of Isan across provincial, urban, district, and community levels. The festival underscores Isan's appeal as a region abundant in lifestyle, investment opportunity, tourism value, and multi-dimensional promise. Four key venues in Khon Kaen have been selected to vividly represent "Isan Style" through the creative lens of local visionaries:ISANCF2025 is poised to elevate regional pride and reaffirm Isan's readiness to become a true "City of Opportunity." The festival aims to attract the next generations and bolster confidence in the region's potential on both national and international stages. Join the "ISAN SOUL PROUD" movement and help shape the future through every dimension of culture while supporting the region's growing business expansion. With more than 200 diverse activities across seven types of programs — Creative Academic Program, Creative Business Platform, Showcase & Exhibition, Talk & Workshop, Event & Entertainment Program, D-KAK Market, and Creative District Project from 28 June to 6 July 2025, in Khon Kaen. ISANCF2025 is proudly set to inspire cultural pride and drive creativity across the region.Follow us for updates:Website: www.isancreativefestival.comFacebook/Instagram: @IsanCreativeFestivalHashtag: #ISANCREATIVEFESTIVAL #เทศกาลอีสานสร้างสรรค์ #ISANCF2025 #อีสานโชว์พราวLINE: @bangkokdesignweek
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About the Isan Creative Festival
Isan Creative Festival (ISANCF) was first launched in 2019 by the Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization), or CEA, in collaboration with networks of designers, artists, entrepreneurs, and civil society from across the Isan region. The festival aims to provide a platform for the people of Isan to showcase their creative potential through art, design, music, food, technology, and community-based initiatives, while driving regional urban development through culture. By bridging cultural heritage with the new economy, the festival transforms local wisdom into a sustainable creative economy platform. It has since become one of the region's leading creative festivals with strong ties to international networks such as World Design Weeks and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), supporting the vision of positioning Khon Kaen as a globally recognized Creative City.
About the Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization), or CEA
The Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization), or CEA, was established on August 14, 2018, through the elevation of the Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) into a public organization under the supervision of the Prime Minister's Office. CEA is tasked with promoting and enhancing the potential of Thailand's creative economy as a driving force for balanced and sustainable economic development in the long term. One of CEA's core missions is to develop Creative Districts — areas that foster innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. The agency supports the transformation of local areas into vibrant ecosystems for creative business while strengthening their connection with surrounding communities. CEA also plays a key role in growing the creative industries by building capacity and linking networks, empowering creativity as a tool for business growth and improving the quality of life for Thai people. The Isan Creative Festival is organized by CEA, Khon Kaen Office.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Tiara Jacquelina tells of financial toll in championing the arts in Malaysia
(From left) Kakiseni president and film director Low Ngai Yuen (moderator), classical dancer Ramli Ibrahim, producer Tiara Jacquelina and fashion designer Bernard Chandran at the arts forum organised by the Merdeka Award Trust. KUALA LUMPUR : Award-winning producer and director Tiara Jacquelina has opened up about the immense challenges of financing the arts in Malaysia after pouring her own money and energy into creating large-scale productions that championed Malaysian stories. Tiara, a driving force behind some of Malaysia's most iconic productions, described the pressure of justifying art in commercial terms as exhausting. The arts advocate told a forum here today that despite her commitment to national identity and cultural storytelling, she grew tired of constantly having to 'knock on doors' just to make a case for support. 'I did it all for the love of the arts, but I learned the hard way that passion alone isn't sustainable,' said the founder of the Enfiniti Academy of Musical Theatre and Performing Arts. At one point, Tiara secured RM1 million in sponsorship from a major corporate body. However, she said it was an amount that came with strings attached. She was expected to deliver up to three times in returns, alongside key performance indicators (KPIs), publicity deliverables, and media coverage. Instead of nurturing creativity, she found herself buried in spreadsheets. 'Just as I was stepping into the director's role, I was handed demands for TV airtime, publicity, ticket targets and other requests. That's not the role of an artist – that's a media agency's job,' she said. Tiara added that because of the lack of proper partnerships available to artists, many of them have had to compromise their visions to fit into corporate moulds. 'Beyond sponsorships, what we really need is a model thinking in terms of community and ecosystem building. 'If we want to see a thriving arts sector in the next five years, both the government and corporate Malaysia must commit to long-term investment in the development of artists and their work.' Tiara was speaking at a forum titled Profit Meets Performance: When Arts Means Business organised by the Merdeka Award Trust here. Low Ngai Yuen, president of the arts and culture NGO Kakiseni and moderator of the session, agreed that the arts ecosystem in Malaysia lacks the structure and support needed for creatives to thrive. Dancer and founder of the Sutra Foundation, Ramli Ibrahim, noted that the value of the arts should not be measured by financial metrics alone. 'You can't define the success of the arts in ringgit and sen,' he said, stressing that the 'profit' of arts lies in its influence on people. Fashion designer Bernard Chandran took the conversation further, stating creatives needed to be given freedom by businesses in order to see their visions realised. 'You can have all the money and tools in the world, but if they don't represent your aesthetic, your voice — it means nothing.'
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Malay Mail
‘28 Years Later' and ‘F1' prove that excellent films are still possible during the summer blockbuster season
JULY 5 — It's been a while since I last felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices available in Malaysian cinemas during the summer blockbuster season. The last time I felt this way was probably before Covid-19 hit and changed the way people consume movies and how Hollywood studios distribute theirs forever. When you combine the post-Covid effects of movie consumption with the Writers Guild of America strike in 2023, which pushed the production and release of quite a number of big Hollywood movies by at least a year or even more, the lack of excitement during the summer blockbuster season in the last few years is quite understandable. This year, however, has seen that excitement back with a vengeance, with plenty of big titles and surprise hits making their way into local cinemas, with 10 out of the top 20 worldwide box-office hits of the year consisting of summer movies like Lilo & Stitch, How To Train Your Dragon, Thunderbolts, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Final Destination: Bloodlines and Ballerina. The newly opened F1 is already at number 11 in the worldwide box-office charts at the time of writing, and will surely climb up further in the next few weeks. What really got me excited, though, is the surprising quality of quite a few of these summer blockbuster hits, especially the two titles I'll be talking about below. Even the genre hits like Final Destination: Bloodlines and Ballerina have delivered exactly what they promised with great quality and craftsmanship. 28 Years Later The first two movies, 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, were very different from each other, and it is only fair that this new movie, which has been announced to be the start of a new trilogy, is also different from the previous two. Yes, this one also involves fast zombies (or infected, as the movie calls them) and uses different types of consumer and professional grade digital cameras (including iPhones here), but director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have decided to give us what is, first and foremost, a coming-of-age film instead. Taking place 28 years after the Rage virus first spread, Britain has now been entirely cut off from the rest of the world by a strictly enforced quarantine (echoes of Brexit, anyone?), with neighbouring countries doing patrols around British waters to ensure that the quarantine remains in place. The movie focuses on a community of uninfected survivors living on an island that's connected to the mainland by a causeway that disappears during high tide. A rite of passage within this community involves young men being sent out to the mainland to kill at least one infected. This is where the movie's main character, a 12-year-old boy named Spike (a beautifully nuanced performance from Alfie Williams), and his family come in. Boyle and Garland put the audience in Spike's shoes as we experience everything from his point of view, from the trauma of his first journey to the mainland, to his eventual decision to sneak out his mother (who suffers from a mysterious disease that leaves her in and out of lucidity) from the island to search for the fabled Dr Kelson (Ralph Kelson) to help cure her. There are still plenty of scary and unforgettable encounters with the infected here, but the movie takes an unexpectedly beautiful turn once the third act arrives and it becomes a hugely moving meditation on the inevitability of death. And once you hear the way the movie plays with the phrase memento mori (which means 'remember, you must die') and introduces the phrase memento amoris (which can be interpreted as 'remember, you are loved'), there will not be a dry pair of eyes in the cinema. Definitely one of my favourite movies of the year. US actor and producer Brad Pitt poses on the red carpet upon arrival for the European Premier of F1 The Movie, at Cineworld Leicester Square, central London. — AFP pic F1 I was not as impressed as many were by director Joseph Kosinski's previous film, the well-reviewed and very well-received (by audiences) box-office hit Top Gun: Maverick. I thought it was a decently made piece of hokum, but there was just too much cheese in it for my liking. Kosinski has delivered another piece of hokum with F1, but this time I'm fully on board as it just gets every single thing right. It's a story that's been told many, many times before; an underdog story about a reckless/wily veteran mentoring a younger version of himself. The underdog veteran in this case is Sonny Hayes (played by Brad Pitt), a former F1 prodigy who met with an accident and watched his life go off the rails courtesy of a gambling addiction, living in a van and chasing his rush of adrenaline as he moves from one motorsport to another, before getting recruited by his old F1 racing buddy to mentor the talented but hot-headed rookie Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris) in his struggling F1 team APXGP. Like I mentioned before, we've seen this story told many times before, even in the Pixar animated movie Cars, which is exactly why what Kosinski has managed to achieve here is so impressive. Like Barbie, this is a movie that's been directly licensed by the brand, and Kosinski has taken full advantage to give the audience, even those without much knowledge of Formula 1 racing, a first-class seat to witness the inner workings of this highly profitable world. It's a feel-good Hollywood movie that hits every single narrative beat you'd expect it to, but it's delivered in such a professional manner that you can't help yourself from cheering for these underdog characters all the way to the finish line. This one's the very definition of cinematic comfort food. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Malay Mail
Boarding pass required: ‘Children on Bicycle' artist back in Penang with art exhibition tackling copyright exploitation
GEORGE TOWN, July 4 — You will need a boarding pass to check in before entering Ernest Zacharevic's latest art installation opening tomorrow. A tongue-in-cheek participatory experience for visitors, the installation titled 'We need to talk' is designed to resemble an airport check-in counter. Posters on the wall, similar to advertising boards by airlines, displayed the phrase 'Justice in the Air' with details of artists' rights to their intellectual property (IP). The idea for the interactive art installation was sparked by Zacharevic's 'I think we need to talk' social media post directed at low-cost carrier, AirAsia, in November last year. He had posted a picture of an AirAsia plane that displayed his Children on Bicycle artwork on the forward part of the fuselage, which he alleged was used without his consent. Visitors become part of the art installation by queuing and checking in as if at an airport. — Picture by Opalyn Mok The staff manning the counters and the exhibition space were dressed in cabin crew uniforms with red scarves. There were also several aircraft marshals complete with illuminated wands. At the check in counter, visitors are reminded to place any dangerous items in a clear box next to the entrance and those with larger bags are asked if it exceeds the 7 kilogramme limit. Inside, a table featured merchandise from tote bags to stickers, art prints, and aircraft models, all featuring Zacharevic's art. There were also rows of inflight 'meals', labelled as being under the brand 'satan' as part of the installation's satirical theme. Each visitor to the exhibition receives an information card on IP rights. — Picture by Opalyn Mok The artist — who shot to fame after his series of murals in Penang became well-known in 2012 — said the exhibition is about creative ownership and persistent exploitation of artists' work in commercial contexts. 'I'm using this to speak up about it, to voice myself,' he said. He said he found that many other artists in Malaysia are facing similar IP infringement but they were unable to express themselves publicly due to the cases being in legal proceedings. The exhibition serves as a fundraiser while also educating the public about IP rights of artists. 'There will be a series of events, there will be a talk tomorrow with artists on ownership and creative rights,' he said. Rows of inflight 'meals', labelled as being under the brand 'satan' as part of the installation's satirical theme. — Picture by Opalyn Mok Zacharevic said his Children on Bicycle mural has appeared on everything from corporate advertising to commercial spaces without permission, proper credit, or fair compensation. The artist said he had contacted AirAsia on the use of his artwork without consent, but according to him, this did not lead to a resolution, and he is now considering legal action against the airline. Explaining the concept of the exhibition, Zacharevic said it is a way for visitors to be a participant instead of coming in to view art on the wall. 'We want everyone to have that little bit of inconvenience that artists go through and to have that, you know, a bit of delays and frustrations that we are experiencing, that is sort of similarly going through the airport sometimes,' he said. Dressed as a pilot himself, he said the installation is about irony and playfully comments on his experience with AirAsia. 'We will be organising a series of events and talks including an IP clinic by lawyers on August 9 and 10 for artists so they can register on our website for it,' he said. Exhibition merchandise included tote bags, stickers and prints. — Picture by Opalyn Mok The exhibition includes four original paintings by Zacharevic featuring paper planes: Plein Air, Sky Hi, Hi Sky and Paper Plane. The various merchandise packages priced from RM50 to RM5,000 form part of Zacharevic's fundraising efforts to support potential legal proceedings against AirAsia. The exhibition is open to the public for free from July 5 to August 31 at Cultprint, 36 Malay Street, George Town, Penang. More information about the exhibition is available at or via the hotline at 011-16089935.
