Hai Phong expands community cultural space

Community cultural spaces are contributing to shaping the new urban landscape, creating a wider network of cultural activities, connecting the people of Hai Phong city more closely.

Street art attracts a large number of people to come and watch.

Creative meeting places

At Childream Coffee (Trai Le Street, Le Chan Ward), the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere has been bustling for many days now. Here, children can participate in experiential activities: making moon cakes, papier-mâché masks, and wooden lanterns. Coming to the shop, Ms. Nguyen Minh Thu, on Nguyen Duc Canh Street, An Bien Ward, said that the dynamism and creativity of coffee shops like Childream have created "small cultural spaces" in the community, creating more useful playgrounds for young people.

Not only during the holidays, Xi'Chi - Art Studio on Trung Luc Street (Hai An Ward) has long been a familiar meeting place for many young people who love pottery and painting. There are groups of students diligently turning the pottery table, shaping the products, while another group is absorbed in painting. Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien, the workshop's tour guide, said that this experience does not require talent, but the important thing is connection and creativity in modern life, helping young people temporarily leave digital devices to feel nature and life.

Children experience pottery making at Xi'Chi Art Studio.

Many other small spaces are also contributing to enriching the cultural life of the city. Workshops, talks, and mini exhibitions are held regularly on many streets. “Going to a coffee shop is different now, it is both a place for entertainment and a place to learn and connect” - Nguyen Minh Phuong, a student at the Maritime University shared.

In the west of Hai Phong , Thanh Dong Babeeni Art Center regularly organizes exhibitions, seminars and art classes. This past summer, 23 primary and secondary school students were trained in lacquer painting and outdoor painting by the center. According to artist Luong Xuan Doan, Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, such classes are a way to discover and nurture talent right from the grassroots.

In addition, some coffee shops also combine green spaces, bookshelves, and folk games such as checkers, horse racing, and volleyball, etc., contributing to preserving traditional culture and creating connections in modern life.

Urban cultural strategy

Puppet show at Kim Dong Flower Garden (Hong Bang ward).

Even before the merger, the city had implemented the Street Art Project for the period 2024-2026. On weekends, the City Theater Flagpole yard, Tam Bac Park, and Nguyen Du Flower Garden became outdoor stages with many music and modern dance programs mixed with Cheo, Cai Luong, and puppetry. Ms. Hoang Phuong Lien, a weekend food tour visitor, commented: "Hai Phong now has many check-in points, rich food, and exciting outdoor performances."

According to Ms. Bui Thi Anh, Deputy Director of the City's Center for Culture, Exhibition and Cinema, street art not only creates a playground for artists but also becomes an attractive tourism product, contributing to heritage preservation.

After the merger, Hai Phong not only expanded in area and population, but also blended the cultural and historical quintessence of the "Heroic Port City" and the "Cultured Eastern Land".

Walking street, Bach Dang night market (Le Thanh Nghi ward) is bustling every weekend.

In the 2025 - 2030 period, the city aims to build a synchronous system of cultural and sports institutions, creating national and international landmark projects; developing cultural industries associated with tourism; expanding festivals and carnivals, towards a "City of Music".

From coffee shops, art studios to outdoor stages and night markets, it can be seen that art and culture are increasingly present in Hai Phong urban life. Young people find a place to create and connect; people have more space for community activities; and tourists have more unique experiences of the city.

The spread of these activities helped Hai Phong after the merger not only expand in scale but also shape a vibrant urban identity. The community cultural network then did not stop at the role of spiritual value, but also became a driving force for economic and tourism development, contributing to affirming the unique mark of the new city.

From July 2025, the Bach Dang walking street and night market managed by the People's Committee of Le Thanh Nghi ward will continue to maintain the activities that have been implemented for over 2 years. Investing in additional check-in points and identifying the walking street and night market is expected to attract more people and tourists, creating new vitality for this activity.

HA LINH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/hai-phong-mo-rong-khong-gian-van-hoa-cong-dong-521627.html