Isan Creative Festival 2025 (ISANCF2025), organized by the Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization), or CEA, in collaboration with partners from the design community, artists, entrepreneurs, and civil society across Isan, returns for its fifth edition under the theme “ISAN SOUL PROUD,” from 28 June to 6 July 2025, positioning Khon Kaen into a regional creative hub of Northeastern Thailand.
The festival proudly showcases the region’s rich soft power — through food, music, crafts, and regional inspiration. With deep cultural roots, creative minds, and the energy of its people, Isan is rising to shape a new economy — led by its own communities. The festival invites everyone to “show their pride” and be part of the creative transformation redefining Isan not as a forgotten region, but as a “region of boundless opportunity.”
ISANCF2025 will light up the city with over 200 programs across 9 days, spread across 4 main venues in Khon Kaen: TCDC Khon Kaen, Columbo Creative Community, Pullman Khon Kaen, and Sawathi Community, along with other areas across Isan.
ISANCF2025 Shows the Proud “Region of Boundless Opportunity” for Creators and Everyone
The festival opens its doors to Isan residents and Isan lovers to shape a better future by transforming the local’s cultural assets into creative capital — infused with design, innovation, and emerging trends. Through exhibitions, talks, workshops, academic forums, music events, and creative markets, it aims to turn Khon Kaen and other Northeastern provinces as thriving creative districts — celebrated for their “inherent value,” “investment potential,” and their appeal as meaningful “homecoming” destinations. In doing so, the festival fosters more inclusive and sustainable economic growth through the creative economy and plays a pivotal role in positioning Khon Kaen as a globally recognized Creative City.
This year, ISANCF2025 showcases its full potential across two dimensions:
1. Showcasing Cultural Capital as New Economic Opportunity: Isan’s wealth of cultural assets is being reimagined through the creative industries in three key sectors: entertainment & content, crafts, art & design, and food. The festival also facilitates business matching to connect businesses with both domestic and international markets, while strengthening academic networks for a stronger presence on the global stage.
2. Unlocking Spatial Potential Across the Region: From provinces and cities to neighborhoods and communities, the festival repositions Isan as a livable region full of charm, an investable area rich with potential, and a travel-worthy destination offering a wide range of experiences for creative exploration.
Proud to the Max: 9 Days, 7 Types of Activities, Over 200 Programs
This year’s edition features expanded collaboration with creative forces, entrepreneurs, academic institutions, and networks from 20 provinces across Northeastern Thailand. It presents immersive experiences with more than 200 programs — ranging from music, film, food, crafts, design, to creative business, technology, and community innovation. The seven types of activities include:
1. Academic Program – e.g., Isan Creativity and Innovation Summit 2025
2. Creative Business Platform – e.g., ISAN MICE EXPO (by TCEB), ISANCF x Kupper Art Fes 2025, The Secret Sauce Business Weekend 2025 – Isan Edition, etc.
3. Showcases & Exhibition – e.g., Laab Koey Universe, Muniverse Exhibition, Back to Isan! The Pavilion, etc.
4. Talk & Workshop – e.g., Creative Wisdom Talk x H.O.W., NEXT STATION “Pla Ra,” etc.
5. Entertainment & Event Program – e.g., ISAN SOUL PROUD Fashion Show, ISAN Music ConneXt, etc.
6. D-KAK Creative Market – showcasing original works by local creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs.
7. Creative District Projects – e.g., SAWATHI HOME PROUD, Columbo Creative Community.
ISANCF: Hope and Opportunity for the New Generation, a Path Back Home
Over the past four years, Isan Creative Festival (ISANCF) has proven itself as a pioneering platform for the regional creative economy, welcoming more than 1 million attendees, featuring over 6,000 creators and exhibitors, and generating an economic impact of more than THB 1.59 billion. These achievements reflect the power of creative investment in driving both cultural enrichment and sustainable economic growth. ISANCF is also a proud member of the World Design Weeks and actively supports the vision of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), which promotes sustainable urban development through culture and creativity.
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