Since its proactive initiative to establish itself as a "Model University in the Best Practice Site for Xi Jinping's Cultural Thought", Shanghai Theatre Academy has been diligently focused on four primary projects: education, creation, inheritance and dissemination.
Recently, the Creation and Performance Work Conference of Shanghai Theatre Academy convened. This conference served as both a recap of past experiences and a roadmap for future development. Experts from various fields, industry partners, and distinguished alumni all provided invaluable insights and suggestions aimed at the high-quality development of the academy's creation and performance initiatives.
In his address, Huang Changyong, Deputy Party Secretary and President of Shanghai Theatre Academy, underscored that creation is a core indicator of the academy's educational outcomes, reaffirming the academy's steadfast commitment to creation and performance work. While striving to become a model university in the best practice site for Xi Jinping's cultural thought, the academy remains dedicated to its mission of "pursuing excellence" in talent cultivation, consistently generating high-quality works and aiming to contribute more exemplary creations to both Shanghai and the nation.
Leaders from the academy's Artistic Creation Centre, Academic Affairs Office, Graduate School, and College of Film presented special reports highlighting recent achievements in creation, teaching, and the innovative integration of science and art. Over the past decade, the academy has secured support for more than 120 projects through the National Art Fund and the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation, greatly enhancing the quality of its creation and performance work. Throughout this period, faculty and students have collaborated as producers and principal creators, garnering numerous national awards such as the "Five One Project" Excellent Work Award, the Lotus Award, the Tian Han Drama Award, and the Cao Yu Script Award. Works by students and faculty have participated in both domestic and international arts festivals and events, including the Avignon Theatre Festival, Edinburgh Festival, China Campus Theatre Festival, Shanghai International Arts Festival’s RAW Land event, Wuzhen Theatre Festival, Show Life, Modern Drama Valley, Daliangshan Theatre Festival and Shanghai Theatre Academy Art Season, consistently delivering high-quality performances and nurturing exceptional talents.
National first-class director and STA alumnus Mao Weining, senior editor of China Central Television and STA alumna Cao Hongmei, young director Ma Junfeng, and general manager of Shanghai Grand Theatre Zhang Xiaoding delivered speeches and exchanged ideas at the conference.
During the creative productions and topics roadshow session, Mao Weining, Cao Hongmei, and Pan Yu, Director of the Academic Affairs Office at Beijing Film Academy, and Professor Chen Xiaoling from the Central Academy of Drama's Department of Dramatic Literature, served as review panelists. Several department leaders from within the academy introduced creative projects, and the experts and scholars provided insightful and practical guidance on the productions and topics, leaving the young playwrights who attended the session enlightened and greatly benefited. The participant remarked that holding this meeting as the academy approaches its 80th anniversary is not only a summary of experiences but also a clash of ideas and a mobilization for future endeavors. They pledged to bravely embrace the noble mission of being a leading art university in the journey toward Chinese-style modernization, contributing more high-quality works to society with abundant creative passion.
In his closing remarks, Xie Wei, Party Secretary of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, emphasized that creation and performance work is foundational to the academy's success, an essential measure of talent cultivation, and a critical indicator of the academy's educational quality and social service capacity. Creation and performance not only represents the lifeblood of the academy, but also acts as the bedrock of academic pursuit and discipline development. The academy will undertake a problem-oriented approach for deep reflection, enrich its disciplines, strengthen determination, and firmly root itself in reality, emphasizing a transition from a focus on quantity to a prioritization of quality. Looking toward the future theatre studies, the academy will courageously pursue innovation to achieve optimal societal impact and resource aggregation. He anticipated collaborative efforts from all parties concerned for continued generation of outstanding works and cultivation of prominent artists at the Shanghai Theatre Academy in the new era.
The meeting was presided over by Nie Wei, member of the CPC Standing Committee and Vice President of Shanghai Theatre Academy. Leaders from the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation, Shanghai International Arts Festival, Shanghai Script Creation Centre, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Broadcasting and Television Industry Association, and Shanghai Huangpu Cultural Tourism Group attended the event. Over 50 participants, including leaders of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, heads of relevant offices, colleges and departments, STA-based creators, and representatives of foundation funded project leaders, were present.
