Discussing the roadmap to build Hai Phong into a Music City
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Ms. Tran Thi Hoang Mai, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong said: Hai Phong has always been known as a city of industry, of seaports, of dynamism, creativity and resilience. But besides economic and urban values, Hai Phong is also a land rich in cultural traditions, where music always resounds with the rhythm of human life".
Hai Phong is a land of many types of folk music: ca tru, Cheo, drum bao, and especially lyrical singing. Hai Phong is the place that produces and nurtures many Vietnamese musical talents, from Van Cao, Hoang Quy, Doan Chuan, To Vu, Tran Hoan, Ngo Thuy Mien... to today's generation, such as: Vu Tu Lan, Vu Loan, Duy Thai, Vu Ngoc Quang, The Vinh, Tung Ngoc... with many diverse styles.
After the merger, Hai Phong has a strong performing force including professional art units such as Duong Dai Hai Phong Art Theater, Hai Phong Traditional Theater Theater, Dong Cheo Theater...
Therefore, the workshop was held with the desire to create space for exchange, sharing, and discussion on strategies, solutions, and directions to build Hai Phong into a Music City in UNESCO's creative network in the new era of national and city development.
At the workshop, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong presented the Project "Hai Phong - City of Music". The goal of the project is to build Hai Phong into a unique music center with regional and international appeal. In particular, the music has a modern breath, both imbued with the spirit of Xu Dong culture, and clearly reflects the bravery, spirit, and the dynamic and creative spirit of Hai Phong people.
According to the project, by 2030, Hai Phong will basically approach UNESCO's criteria for a Music City, with a vision of becoming a Music City in 2045. In particular, in the period of 2026-2030, Hai Phong focuses on building a foundation, developing performing, training, and music promotion activities associated with education and nurturing the younger generation. The city plans to hold about 1,300 performances and art programs; host national and international music events; organize annual composition competitions...
In the period of 2030-2045, the city will improve quality, expand scale, develop the music industry, making Hai Phong an international music city.
Research on building a "Hai Phong performance map"
Delegates focused on discussing the recognition of the value and identity of Hai Phong music, evaluating the potential and infrastructure of culture and music; contributing opinions to build a strategy for developing the music industry and urban creativity, towards forming "Hai Phong - Music City of Vietnam and the region". Along with that, exchanging experiences on a number of music cities in the world, proposing a roadmap to integrate with the UNESCO Creative Cities network.
Mr. Pham Huu Thu - Vice President of the Hai Phong Union of Science and Technology Associations affirmed that the orientation to build Hai Phong into a "Music City" is not only a simple cultural and artistic goal, but a comprehensive creative urban development strategy, linking identity, economy, technology and international integration, contributing to realizing the vision of making Hai Phong a leading industrial, tourism and marine culture center in Southeast Asia, on par with leading cities in the region and the world.
The representative of the Hai Phong Contemporary Arts Theater suggested that the city consider, research, and issue a separate program or project on the development of performing arts, within the overall strategy of building a "Music City", with clear goals, roadmaps, tasks, and resources. Along with that, research and plan the city's performance space system on the basis of promoting the effectiveness of existing cultural institutions and appropriately exploiting public spaces. From there, a "Hai Phong performance map" was formed to connect artists, organizers and audiences, contributing to spreading artistic life more widely in the community.
