The Mural Village of Tam Thanh

Outside of Tam Ky City, in the Quang Nam Province, along Vietnam’s central coast, is a small fishing village called Tam Thanh that has been transformed into a wonderland of public art.

Art For A Better Community

In 2016, over 100 murals were painted on the exterior walls of houses and buildings by artists from Vietnam and Korea. The project was a joint venture between the Korean Community Art Exchange Program and the Vietnamese People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province. The murals largely reflect the community and nature of the village.

The cultural exchange included 5 Korean artists and 7 Vietnamese artists, along with many volunteers. With the motto of “Art for a Better Community”, the idea was to not only bring art to this small, relatively poor village but also encourage tourists to come to visit the transformation of this small coastal hamlet. What once was an otherwise overlooked fishing community is now witnessing an influx of visitors coming to see this colorful art project.

Opportunity On Display

The small district is a one road village, framed by the sea on one side and a meandering river on the other. The recent arrival of visitors is helping to revitalize a hamlet that has otherwise missed out on the economic boom that is occurring across much of Vietnam.

Time is of the essence

Tam Thanh is slowly changing. As the village gains in popularity and prosperity, some of the villagers have been able to afford to build new houses or move on. Some of their properties are being sold to make way for hotels and home stays. Consequently, some of the murals have been destroyed in the process. Many of the remaining murals are slowly fading from the unrelenting routine of monsoons and sun.

There is no better time than now to visit Tam Thanh village. If you are in the area, particularly Hoi An or Da Nang, we highly recommend you stop by, enjoy some art — and delicious fresh seafood.