Of the 30 million visitors to Macao, there must be some who likes investing in arts. My foreign friends always ask if these visitors contribute much to the Macao’s arts industry, but I think the idea is a mere misconception.

Only a sea away, Hong Kong is the world’s third largest art market, with eye-catching contemporary arts. Veteran auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s are constantly breaking records on their auctions; and China’s Poly International Auction Company has also debuted in Hong Kong. The keys to the success of Hong Kong’s auctioning market include its comprehensive legal system, efficient and professional services, as well as tax exemptions. Singapore has been trying hard to overtake Hong Kong’s position in the art market, but its efforts have been in vain, proving that the scene cannot be changed overnight. Cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and Seoul have only developed their art markets for several decades, and are nowhere comparable to that of London’s or New York’s—Macao is no exception. Many organisations are trying to open up the city’s art market, and with Macao government’s effort to develop its exhibition industry, several art expos were held in Macao over the past three years. Among them, the ART-MO International Art Fair was the biggest in scale and best in quality.

When it was first held in 2013, ART-MO was named “The 1st ART MACAO™”, and was renamed in the following year to establish a clearer brand image. Booths for luxury watches were added in the second edition, and there was improvement in the quality of participating galleries and the organisation of the event. In addition to ART-MO art director Zhao Li, other artists, including Dong Mengyang of Art Beijing, Mi Sun Pyo of PYO Gallery, the current president of Galleries Association of Korea, also helped seek high-level galleries to participate.

The biggest breakthrough of the second edition was the media partnership with BAZAAR ART and Artron, which are influential in China’s art circle, and helped a great deal in promoting the Fair.

Macao government is pushing its cultural and creative industries in recent years. Visual arts were once the priority project of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), but due to lack of relevant policies, it was superseded by categories like movies, fashion and pop music. Instead, visual arts benefited from a series of practical measures in the exhibition industry, prompting the emergence of ART-MO. Unfortunately, relevant departments have failed to capitalise on ART-MO to further promote art development in Macao, and have single-handedly given up the precious brand. Many foreigners thus misunderstood that the government is generously supporting the development of local artists with the backup of the booming casinos, which was ironic.

The organiser of ART-MO holds substantial financial resources, and has offered free booths for Macao art groups or individuals to participate in the event, showing conscience even as a foreign enterprise. If ART-MO is held continuously, it will become the most important art event in Macao, regardless of profit. There are a lot the government can do to help Macao artists explore opportunities and develop Macao’s art market. Hong Kong’s advantage is unparalleled—how should Macao position itself? I trust that the IC president, who started out as an artist, would know what Macao has to offer. In this year’s ART-MO, there was a series of photography about “Occupying Central” by a Hong Kong photographer, displayed next to the art piece by Guangzhou artist Li Peng. This would not have been possible if the exhibition was held in China. We are luring buyers to our own doorstep by throwing money at them—but businesses are still taken by foreigners, leaving Macao artists with no opportunities. Who is to blame?