China issues action plan to revitalize theatrical arts

BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities have revealed an action plan to promote the inheritance and development of theatrical arts over the next three years, starting from 2026.

According to the plan, efforts will be made to invigorate innovation and creativity in theater, significantly improve the quality of productions, and produce a new batch of outstanding theatrical works.

The plan aims to expand the ranks of theater professionals, with a steady emergence of leading young talent.

It also emphasizes the establishment of a sound mechanism to support, guide and coordinate theatrical creation, along with a marked improvement in the industry ecosystem.

Theater is a stage art that integrates various artistic forms. Promoting its development is important to the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture, and to building a country that is leading in socialist culture, authorities told the media.

The recommendations for the formulation of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development propose to inspire the cultural creativity of the entire nation and foster a thriving socialist culture.

To further improve the industry's ecosystem and promote its high-quality development, the action plan puts forward 24 supportive measures, including those to develop theater troupes, enhance the effectiveness of production evaluation and funding support, strengthen the inheritance of theatrical arts, and promote public outreach.

It encourages theaters to establish creative studios to craft quality works based on their own artistic characteristics and styles.

On fostering theater professionals, it specifically highlights the importance of inheritors of rare or endangered dramatic genres. Greater efforts will also be made to improve education in the field, strengthening disciplines and majors related to screenwriting, directing, music, performance, stage design, management, and other areas.

To expand the appeal and reach of theatrical productions, the plan calls on theaters and theatrical troupes to give full play to the internet and AI technologies while regulating their online performance and livestreaming activities.

The plan was jointly issued by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. ■