Governor Sophon last Sunday confirmed that Minister of Culture Sermsak Phongpanich had selected Phuket to host the Thailand Biennale 2025 festival.
The Thailand Biennale is an international contemporary art exhibition held every two years under an initiative by the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, under Thailand’s Ministry of Culture.
Next year’s event will be the fourth edition following previous events staged in Krabi (2018), Nakhon Ratchsima (2021) and Chiang Rai (2023).
Last year’s event in Chiang Rai saw over 245,000 visitors attend, both in person and online.
Kongsak Koophongsakorn, President of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, estimates that the five-month-long event in Phuket will create more than 15,000 jobs and attract more than 5 million tourists. The benefit to the local economy is expected to exceed B40mn, Mr Kongsak said.
Present at the meeting yesterday were Prasop Riengngen, Director of the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, Anchalee Vanich Thepbutr, President of the Phuket Art Association; Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative OrganiSation (PPAO); heads of local government agencies and leading figures from Phuket’s private sector.
The meeting yesterday sought to establish working groups to organise the island-wide arts festival, including the assigning of tasks such as public awareness campaigns, the planning of the project implementation calendar, the selection of exhibition space and requesting budget support from government and private agencies
Following the announcement last Sunday that Phuket will host the Thailand Biennale, Ms Anchalee has explained that the event will be held under the theme ‘The Miracle of Travel (The Never Ending Journey)’.
There will be four types of exhibitions, with exhibits in all three districts across the island. Works by Thai artists from all four regions of the country will be on display, with special emphasis on works by artists in provinces along the Andaman coast.
Artists from abroad who are interested in having their works displayed during the festival can apply to do so through their representative consulate or embassy. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, she said.
The Biennale will include activities showcasing arts and culture, and invite young artists to create sculptures that will be placed in key tourist areas such as Patong and Phuket Town to be appreciated by visitors, Ms Anchalee said.
The young artist entries are to focus on creations that reflect the concept of nature, culture, living conditions or other themes, she added.
The project will see one work of art by a young artist remain as permanent fixture at a key tourist attraction on the island, Ms Anchalee noted.