There was a time people in Phu Tan Village, in central Phu Yen Province, thought sedge mat weaving, the region’s traditional craft, was going to die out. The old production method was labour intensive and inefficient.

 Artists from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) will perform classical and contemporary works at Hanoi Opera House on January 18.

 A photo exhibition about the Mau Than Offensive in Spring 1968 has opened at the Ho Chi Minh City Photography Association as part of the city’s cultural activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event.

 Music reporters gathered in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to select the nominees for the annual musical awards by the Vietnam News Agency’s The Thao & Van Hoa (Culture & Sport) newspaper.

 Despite historical ups and downs throughout the village’s 500-year history, Ma Chau villagers in Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province, have exerted every effort to keep their traditional silk weaving art alive.

Vietnamese designer Dang Thi Bich Ngoc has won the 2017 Graphic Design Awards of the USA for the first time with a set of four posters featuring characters from an ancient Tuong (classical drama) play entitled ‘San Hau’.

 Vietnamese American film director Stephane Gauger of Yêu Đi, Đừng Sợ (Kiss and Spell) has died of a stroke at the age of 48, according to a representative from the production team behind the movie.

 Music reporters gathered in Hanoi and HCM City to select the nominees for the annual musical awards by Vietnam News Agency’s Culture & Sport newspaper.

 Popular Japanese music band “Kuricorder and Friends” will come to Vietnam for a music concert in Hanoi on January 12 and in HCMC on January 14.

 Following are a couple of entertainment and cultural events held in HCMC this weekend.

 The cherry blossom festival of Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong will be started from January 20, announced the provincial People’s Committee at a conference on January 11.

Indian actress Arti Singh arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on January 9 to attend the 2017 “Blue Star” Awards. 

 Hanoi plans to hold spectacular firework displays and diverse cultural, art and sports activities to welcome the Lunar New Year festival (Tet).

 The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will take a number of measures to promote culture, sport and tourism activities in 2018.

 The Vietnam-Japan festival 2018 will take place in Ho Chi Minh City from January 26-28.

 Diverse cuisines of Vietnam and foreign countries are being introduced at the 12th Taste of the World festival, which opened at Le Van Tam Park, in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on January 11.

 The Insider Monkey website recently published a list of 15 countries with the most handsome men in the world, with Vietnam ranked second in the list.

 Local fans of Modern Talking are in meltdown at news that the renowned boy band will return to Hanoi for a special concert.

 The art of mediumship in Vietnam

 The capital authorities have given the title of “artisan” to 42 skilled handicraft artists in handicraft villages in the city, as an official way to recognise their skills and praise their efforts to preserve the traditional handicrafts.