- Sands Gallery is leveraging its role as an international cultural window by bringing Macau’s firecracker stories and aesthetic exhibits to the international stage at Art Central.
- The company is also partnering with local higher-education institutions to extend exhibition elements onto campus.
Serving as a key window and bridge to present Macau’s art and culture to the outside world, Sands Gallery has consistently used art as a medium to vividly showcase the city’s profound cultural heritage and distinctive artistic spirit.
Marking the centenary of the founding of Iec Long Firecracker Factory, Sands China is presenting at Sands Gallery the special exhibition “A Century of Iec Long Firecracker Factory in Radiance – An Exhibition on the Resonant History and Aesthetic Memory of Macao Firecrackers.”
The company is also partnering with local higher-education institutions for in-depth collaboration, extending exhibition elements onto campus and further bringing Macau’s firecracker culture onto the international stage – becoming the first integrated tourism and leisure enterprise from Macau to participate in Art Central (Hong Kong) as an Associate Partner.
Guiding audiences to revisit the brilliant chapter of firecrackers
Sands Gallery’s special exhibition, “A Century of Iec Long Firecracker Factory in Radiance,” showcases over 400 treasured items, including original manuscripts, firecracker-making tools and packaging labels, presenting a multi-faceted view of Macau’s century-long history of firecrackers and fully highlighting its unique cultural value.
Sands Gallery’s special exhibition [presents] a multi-faceted view of Macau’s century-long history of firecrackers.
Structured around six thematic chapters, the exhibition weaves together the collective memory of Macau’s firecracker industry and its evolving aesthetics. Opening with an immersive prologue, it leads audiences through industry stories, artisan craftsmanship, historical documents, interactive experiences and the “small format” beauty of packaging design. It presents the industry’s aesthetic value while also re-creating the realities of production, operations, transport and export.
“Sands China has always been committed to fostering the development of Macau’s diverse arts and culture,” said Dr Wilfred Wong, Executive Vice Chairman of Sands China Ltd. “Since taking on the revitalization of the Iec Long Firecracker Factory in 2023, we have actively invested resources to breathe new life into this important era of Macau’s industrial history, reimagining it as a cultural symbol where heritage is renewed through innovation.
“In collaborating with MUST, the Macao Museum and the Archives of Macao to provide historical exhibits and academic support, and by inviting Professor Ung Vai Meng as curator, we have harnessed the synergy of enterprise and academia to present the firecracker history in its fullest and most authentic form. By rejuvenating this integral chapter of Macau’s past, Sands Gallery offers the public free access to discover the brilliance, creativity and craftsmanship that underpinned the city’s firecracker industry, inspiring younger generations and visitors to appreciate Macau’s strongest competitive edge – its profound cultural heritage.
“We will continue to work closely with all sectors of society to support the integration of culture and tourism, promoting Macau’s diverse arts and culture on an ever-expanding stage.”
The exhibition runs from now until 31 August 2026 and is free and open to the public.
Deep collaboration with universities
To enhance the community reach of the special exhibition, Sands China and Macau University of Science and Technology have further deepened their collaboration, extending exhibition elements to the university’s campus to deepen the younger generation’s understanding of Macau’s history and culture. Simultaneously, academic seminars will be held, guiding the public to understand, through small posters and oral narratives, how Macau’s firecracker industry has left its mark on history. Two parallel exhibitions will be held, one focusing on the visual aesthetics of traditional firecracker packaging posters from eastern Guangdong, and the other on the historical development of Macau’s firecracker industry through documentary evidence. The exhibition elements run from March to May this year and are also free to the public.
This special exhibition brings together more than 400 treasured exhibits, including collection originals, firecracker-making tools
and packaging labels.
Professor Ung said, “Firecracker manufacturing was once one of Macau’s most important traditional industries. For many older residents, it represents a shared collective memory of the last century. In the 1950s and 1960s, Macau-produced firecrackers accounted for an estimated 30% to over half of global output, holding a pivotal position in the international market. On the centenary of Iec Long Firecracker Factory, I am delighted to collaborate with Sands China to present this exhibition, enabling today’s residents and visitors to gain deeper insight into this history and to appreciate the artistry of firecracker packaging labels. I hope the exhibition will transport audiences across time to hear the echoes of a century-long era that belongs uniquely to Macau.”
Leading Macau’s culture and arts to “go global”
In addition to holding a series of cultural events in Macau, Sands China, as an Associate Partner, participated in the Hong Kong international art event “Art Central” from 25 to 29 March. In conjunction with a special exhibition held at Sands Gallery at the same time, the exhibition brought the century-old story of Macau’s firecrackers and related aesthetic exhibits to the international stage. The artworks of three contemporary young Macau artists, Lei Ieng Wai, Leong Chi Mou and Dor Lio Hak Man, were also exhibited at the same event, leading Macau’s culture and arts to the international stage.
