New Exhibition Highlights City's Growing Arts Scene

A vibrant collection of contemporary artworks by local Đà Lạt artists opened this week at the Đà Lạt Creative Hub on Trần Phú Street, drawing art enthusiasts and tourists alike to celebrate the highland city's flourishing creative community.

The exhibition, titled "Sương Mai" (Morning Mist), features 47 works by 12 Lâm Đồng-based artists, including paintings, sculptures, mixed media installations, and photography that explore themes of identity, nature, and urban transformation in Vietnam's beloved flower city.

"We wanted to create a space where local voices could be heard," said Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu, the exhibition's curator and co-founder of the Creative Hub. "Đà Lạt has always inspired artists, but for too long, the narrative has been told by outsiders. This exhibition is about our artists telling their own stories."

From Coffee Farms to Canvas

Among the featured artists is Trần Văn Hùng, 34, whose large-scale oil paintings depict the changing landscape of Đà Lạt's coffee plantations. A third-generation coffee farmer from Xuân Trường commune, Trần has witnessed firsthand the tension between agricultural tradition and rapid tourism development.

"My grandfather's farm near Langbiang Mountain is now surrounded by hotels and resorts," Trần explained during the opening reception on January 28. "I paint to remember what's being lost, but also to document this moment of transformation."

Photographer Lê Hồng Phương's striking black-and-white series captures dawn at Xuân Hương Lake, revealing a side of Đà Lạt rarely seen by tourists. "Most visitors sleep through these hours," she said. "But this is when the city belongs to local people—the flower vendors, the morning exercisers, the street cleaners."

Community Space for Creativity

The Đà Lạt Creative Hub, which opened in September 2025, occupies a renovated French colonial villa near the Đà Lạt Market. The space functions as both gallery and community workshop, offering free art classes for local youth and providing affordable studio rentals for emerging artists.

"We've had over 2,000 visitors in our first four months," said co-founder Phạm Đức Anh. "About 60% are Vietnamese tourists from Saigon and Hanoi, while 40% are local residents and international visitors."

The "Sương Mai" exhibition runs through March 15, 2026, with free admission Tuesday through Sunday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Artist talks are scheduled for the first Saturday of each month.

For Đà Lạt's arts community, the exhibition represents more than just a showcase—it's a declaration that the city's creative identity extends far beyond its famous flowers and strawberry farms.

New Exhibition Highlights City's Growing Arts Scene

A vibrant collection of contemporary artworks by local Đà Lạt artists opened this week at the Đà Lạt Creative Hub on Trần Phú Street, drawing art enthusiasts and tourists alike to celebrate the highland city's flourishing creative community.

The exhibition, titled "Sương Mai" (Morning Mist), features 47 works by 12 Lâm Đồng-based artists, including paintings, sculptures, mixed media installations, and photography that explore themes of identity, nature, and urban transformation in Vietnam's beloved flower city.

"We wanted to create a space where local voices could be heard," said Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu, the exhibition's curator and co-founder of the Creative Hub. "Đà Lạt has always inspired artists, but for too long, the narrative has been told by outsiders. This exhibition is about our artists telling their own stories."

From Coffee Farms to Canvas

Among the featured artists is Trần Văn Hùng, 34, whose large-scale oil paintings depict the changing landscape of Đà Lạt's coffee plantations. A third-generation coffee farmer from Xuân Trường commune, Trần has witnessed firsthand the tension between agricultural tradition and rapid tourism development.

"My grandfather's farm near Langbiang Mountain is now surrounded by hotels and resorts," Trần explained during the opening reception on January 28. "I paint to remember what's being lost, but also to document this moment of transformation."

Photographer Lê Hồng Phương's striking black-and-white series captures dawn at Xuân Hương Lake, revealing a side of Đà Lạt rarely seen by tourists. "Most visitors sleep through these hours," she said. "But this is when the city belongs to local people—the flower vendors, the morning exercisers, the street cleaners."

Community Space for Creativity

The Đà Lạt Creative Hub, which opened in September 2025, occupies a renovated French colonial villa near the Đà Lạt Market. The space functions as both gallery and community workshop, offering free art classes for local youth and providing affordable studio rentals for emerging artists.

"We've had over 2,000 visitors in our first four months," said co-founder Phạm Đức Anh. "About 60% are Vietnamese tourists from Saigon and Hanoi, while 40% are local residents and international visitors."

The "Sương Mai" exhibition runs through March 15, 2026, with free admission Tuesday through Sunday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Artist talks are scheduled for the first Saturday of each month.

For Đà Lạt's arts community, the exhibition represents more than just a showcase—it's a declaration that the city's creative identity extends far beyond its famous flowers and strawberry farms.