Isan Creative Festival 2026

Isan Creative Festival is an annual creative festival held in Khon Kaen, in Thailand’s northeastern Isan region, organized by the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) to connect creative entrepreneurs, communities and the public and private sectors around the culture and identity of Isan.

The 2026 edition runs under the theme Northeast Modern, presenting exhibitions, talks, markets, workshops and creative showcases developed with partners from across Isan’s provinces. The festival is built on the idea that design and creative industries can support economic development in a region historically overlooked within Thailand’s creative economy, giving local designers, food producers, artisans and cultural entrepreneurs a platform alongside visiting creatives. Beyond its public programme, it functions as a networking event for Isan’s creative community, feeding into CEA’s wider effort to build creative economy hubs outside Bangkok.