HÀ NỘI — The eighth Young Fine Arts Festival has opened at the Vincom Centre for Contemporary Art (VCCA) in Hà Nội, exhibiting outstanding works selected from young artists aged 18 to 35 from across the country.

The large-scale art event, organised biennially by the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibitions under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, aims to honour young talents and contribute to guiding and promoting the development of Việt Nam’s cultural industries and creative economy.

For this festival, organisers received 866 entries from 585 artists nationwide. After two rigorous selection rounds, the Art Council chose 211 works by 185 artists for the exhibition. The works display outstanding diversity in materials and visual language, from traditional lacquer, silk and ceramics to contemporary forms of expression such as stainless steel and printmaking.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on July 10, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tạ Quang Đông emphasised that young artists have always played a vital role in the development of Vietnamese fine arts. They not only inherit the nation's artistic traditions but also respond keenly to changes in society, advances in science and technology, and emerging trends in contemporary art.

He noted that as Việt Nam enters a new phase of development, fine arts not only enrich the spiritual life of the people but also serve as an important pillar of the country's cultural industries and creative economy.

Works of artistic merit help promote the values of truth, goodness and beauty, inspire aspirations for national development, preserve the country's cultural identity, and showcase Việt Nam to the world.

Against this backdrop, the Young Artists Festival is more than a showcase of outstanding works. It also offers a snapshot of the country's emerging generation of artists, reflecting their creative explorations, innovative thinking and the evolving directions of contemporary Vietnamese art.

The deputy minister stressed that fostering the sustainable development of young artists will require creating favourable conditions for them to nurture innovation grounded in knowledge, professional expertise and cultural confidence. He called for greater support for artistic experimentation while ensuring that creativity remains guided by humanistic values and a strong sense of social responsibility.

He also underscored the need to strengthen the connection between artistic creation and Việt Nam's cultural identity, describing it as the foundation on which Vietnamese art can enhance its standing and competitiveness in the process of international integration.

The Art Council awarded three First Prizes to the creators of the festival's most outstanding works. The top honours went to Dòng Chảy S’tiêng (S'tiêng Flow), a lacquer painting by Nguyễn Thúy Hằng; Tồn Tại Mờ Ảo (Ephemeral Existence), a print by Lê Quỳnh Anh; and Giữa Hai Thời (Between Two Eras), a sculpture crafted from stainless steel and laterite by Dương Đức Duy.

In addition, the organisers presented five second prizes, nine third prizes, 11 consolation prizes, and three awards for outstanding graduation projects, recognising the remarkable creativity and artistic achievements of the country's young artists.

The 8th Young Fine Arts Festival exhibition is open free of charge until September 15, 2026, offering the public a comprehensive view of the new creative trends among Vieệt Nam's young artists in the context of international integration. — VNS