Within the framework of the 2026 Vietnam Exhibition, Event & Advertising Connection Summit held at the Vietnam Exhibition Center (VEC), the seminar was attended by Director of the Department of Performing Arts Nguyen Xuan Bac and directors, cultural experts.
The discussion session took place in the context that the experience industry in Vietnam is assessed to be entering a strong development phase, with the explosion of concerts, music festivals, exhibitions and interactive advertising activities. However, along with the growth in scale, there is a requirement to build products with their own identity to compete in the international market.
Holding the role of leading the seminar, People's Artist Xuan Bac said that cultural identity is the "key" for Vietnam to make a mark on the global entertainment map.
Vietnam's soft power must be in the top 3 in the world. But how do we exploit that?", NSND Xuan Bac raised the issue.
According to the Director of the Department of Performing Arts, large-scale shows today are no longer just for entertainment but are gradually becoming new cultural symbols, contributing to building brands for each locality and organization.
NSND Xuan Bac said that the strong development of concerts, music festivals or art programs in the period 2025 - 2026 shows that the public's demand for cultural experience is increasing. This is also an opportunity for Vietnam to rise in the field of cultural industry.
NSND Xuan Bac emphasized that international audiences come to Vietnam to seek values that only Vietnam has. With a rich system of cultural heritage and thousands of years of history, Vietnam possesses a large source of materials to develop unique artistic products.
According to NSND Xuan Bac, to leave an impression on international visitors, there need to be stories told in art and imbued with Vietnamese identity.
Agreeing with this view, director Nguyen Viet Thanh said that technology can help theater approach world trends, but the core element of art is still emotion.
According to the female director, a successful work is not at the level of grandeur or modern technology but at the ability to touch the emotions of the audience. Director Viet Thanh cited the play "Truong Son Storm" with a minimalist stage but still creating a strong spread thanks to emotional depth.
Meanwhile, director Hoang Cong Cuong believes that the major challenge today is balancing modernity and national identity in large-scale shows. According to the director, besides the artistic element, Vietnam also needs to invest heavily in infrastructure, services and the experience ecosystem to elevate the performing arts industry.
From a business perspective, Ms. Pham Thai Ha - CEO of VEC said that Vietnam is gradually forming a new infrastructure system to serve large-scale events such as the Vietnam Exhibition Center, Ho Guom Theater or modern sports complexes, thereby expanding its ability to attract global events.
However, according to her, to solve the problem of industry development, the efforts of each business alone are not enough, but a synchronous strategy is needed between the state management vision and the creative capacity of the private sector.
Speakers all said that Vietnam is facing a great opportunity to position itself as a new cultural and entertainment center of the region. However, to create real cultural symbols, the companionship between artists, businesses and support policies from the State is needed.
