Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026: Harnessing cultural resources for urban development
WVR - The 2026 Hanoi Creative Design Festival, themed “Thang Long Ke Nghe”, will take place from November 13 to 28, marking a shift from organising a festival towards building an urban creative ecosystem.
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| Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, speaks at a press conference introducing the 2026 Hanoi Creative Design Festival. (Photo: Ngoc Hien) |
On 6 November, the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Architecture Magazine, in coordination with and with the support of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, held a press conference in Hanoi to announce the activities scheduled as part of the 2026 Hanoi Creative Design Festival.
The festival is directed by the Hanoi People's Committee and the Vietnam Association of Architects. The Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Architecture Magazine serve as the standing organisers, with coordination and support from the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, SOVICO, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), municipal departments and agencies, People's Committees of wards and other relevant organisations.
The festival has received participation, support and cooperation from cultural organisations, diplomatic missions and international cultural institutes, alongside the efforts of thousands of professionals from various fields. These contributions aim to raise organisational standards and expand global connections.
The festival is gradually developing into a nationally and internationally recognised event in the field of creative design. The 2026 edition is expected to attract 500,000 visits and foster valuable connections.
Speaking at the press conference, Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that over four editions, held under the themes “Fostering Creativity” (2021), “Design and Technology” (2022), “Flow” (2023) and “Creative Intersection” (2024), the Hanoi Creative Design Festival had become a platform connecting artists, architects, designers, artisans, businesses, universities, international organisations and communities.
In 2026, the festival will enter its fifth edition, running from 13 to 28 November under the title “Thang Long Ke Nghe” and the theme “Creative Economy”. Inspired by the urban history of Thang Long - Ke Cho, “Thang Long Ke Nghe” celebrates the talent, skills and creative capabilities accumulated and passed down through generations. Today's “Ke Nghe” encompasses not only artisans and traditional craft practitioners, but also designers, architects, artists, technology professionals, young people and communities contributing to shaping the capital's identity.
Through the connecting concept of “City - Streets - Crafts” and three implementation pillars - the creative economy, interdisciplinary arts and co-creation - the festival aims to connect and promote cultural, heritage and creative resources, generating new values to support urban development.
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| Delegates pose for a commemorative photograph. (Photo: Organising Committee) |
Ms. Anh Mai said that, in line with the city's development orientation, the 2026 festival aims to move beyond organising a standalone event towards building an urban creative ecosystem. It is not merely a cultural event held over 16 peak days in November, but also the outcome of a year-long process of preparation, connection and co-creation.
With the message “Bringing talents together, weaving them into assets”, the festival seeks to transform cultural values, heritage, knowledge and creative capabilities into assets with long-term development potential. It is expected to help generate livelihoods and jobs, promote cooperation and establish cultural industries as a driver of growth for the capital.
“Through this, Hanoi will continue to affirm its pioneering role as the first city in Vietnam to join UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, while strengthening international connections, exchanges and cooperation, and bringing Vietnamese identity and creativity to the region and the world,” Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai said.
At the press conference, Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Huong of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi said: “As the first city in Vietnam to join UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, Hanoi has a valuable opportunity to show how culture and creativity can contribute to shaping a more inclusive and sustainable urban future. In particular, Hanoi is gradually becoming an international meeting point, attracting talent, artists, artisan communities and creative businesses from Vietnam and around the world.”
The official opening ceremony will take place at 7 pm on November 13, at the eastern square of Hoan Kiem Lake, while the closing gala is scheduled for 28 November at the frontage of Dong Xuan Market.
