On 19 April, the signing ceremony of the strategic cooperation agreement between the Shanghai Theatre Academy and the National Theatre of China was held at the Huashan Road Campus of STA. At the same time, the National Theatre of China and the Art Shanghai Grand Theatre Art Centre also signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The three organizations, relying on their respective advantages, will carry out in-depth cooperation in teaching practice, creation and performances, academic studies and industry-education integration, thus jointly promoting talent cultivation and cultural and artistic prosperity.

The agreement signing toke place on the occasion of the themed education on studying and implementing Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era. Hence, the central group for theoretical learning of the CPC Shanghai Theatre Academy Committee arranged a special topic on "Serving the National Strategy for Cultural Development and Focusing on Talent Cultivation and Creation of High-quality Works".

Xie Wei, Party Secretary of the Shanghai Academy of Drama, Tian Qinxin, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of the National Theatre of China, Huang Changyong, Deputy Party Secretary and President of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, and Zhang Songhua, Party Secretary and President of the Shanghai Grand Theatre Art Centre, and President of the Shanghai Grand Theatre, delivered speeches at the signing ceremony.

The Shanghai Theatre Academy and the National Theatre of China have a strong foundation of cooperation. Zhao Youliang, the first president of the National Theatre of China, was an outstanding alumnus of STA. Actors at the National Theatre of China such as Liao Fan, Tong Dawei, Wan Qian, Bai Haotian and Han Jie etc all graduated from STA. In 2017, the youth version of the drama "Turmoil" jointly produced by the National Theatre of China and the Shanghai Theatre Academy was successfully staged, and after its premiere, it received widespread praise and was invited to perform in Japan. Afterwards, the two sides jointly built a creation base, and the Shanghai Theatre Academy Youth Drama Troupe was established with the assistance of the National Theatre of China. The drama "Red Starting Point" jointly created by the two sides demonstrated the great spirit of party building with a new stage language.

The cooperation between the Shanghai Theatre Academy and the Shanghai Grand Theatre Art Center has also been fruitful, especially in recent years when both sides have jointly promoted joint talent training projects and fully launched the Bachelor in Art Management (Stage Technology and Production) program and the MFA in Art Management (Opera Production) program in art management, which are progressing well.

After the signing ceremony, the National Theatre of China and the Shanghai Theatre Academy also held an exchange meeting on the construction of digital intelligence theatre.