‘Art for Hope’: Chiang Mai fundraiser rallies support for flood victims in Myanmar and Thailand

"Art for Hope" co-organizer Soe Ya recites a poem during a flood relief fundraiser at the Vimutti Art Garden in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Aug. 22. (Credit: DVB)

“Art for Hope,” a week-long fundraiser for flood-affected communities across Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady Region and northern Thailand’s Nan Province, began at Vimutti Art Garden in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday.

The event features art exhibitions and musical performances at Memories of Chiang Mai until Aug. 29. All proceeds generated from art sales and donations will go directly to relief efforts in Thailand and Myanmar, including to the Irrawaddy Delta People’s Network (IDPN).

“For those who are far from home in Chiang Mai and wish to help relieve the suffering back in our country, we can all join hands through this initiative and donate together to build good karma for our future lives”, Soe Ya, one of the event organizers, told DVB. “Everyone is invited to visit, enjoy poetry, art, and music, eat and drink, and donate to flood relief at the same time.”

Event attendees and artists at the Vimutti Art Garden emphasized the role of creative expression in fostering solidarity across borders.