HCM CITY — The cultural sector in HCM City should focus on developing resources, infrastructure and arts activities from now to 2030, experts have said at a recent workshop held in the city.

The city’s Department of Culture and Sports is focusing on a long-term project to develop film, performing arts, fine arts, photography, exhibitions, advertising, cultural tourism and fashion.

It aims to increase gross regional domestic product (GRDP), create jobs involved in producing diverse high-quality cultural activities, and meet residents’ cultural needs.

Another goal is to burnish the city's image by creating signature cultural products and turning HCM City into the cultural centre of the country and region.

Speaking at a workshop held recently by the department, Nguyễn Thị Hậu, general secretary of the city's Association of Historical Sciences, said the project should target “high culture”, saying that a big city should have such activities.

“It means a high level in art quality, infrastructure and human resources. The project should focus on signature performing arts forms of HCM City and the South like tài tử music, cải lương (reformed opera) and drama,” she added.

Except for the film sector, which has private investment, other sectors have not received sufficient investment to meet the people’s cultural needs.

Trần Hoàng Ngân, director of the HCM City Development Research Institute, pointed out that many theatres are in poor condition and theatrical works are not widely advertised.

Lâm Nhân, deputy principal of the HCM City University of Culture, said: “The city should build cultural policies to promote the development of performing arts programmes.”

For the film sector, scripts highlighting national cultural identity should be encouraged, he added.

Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Liêm, director of the HCM City Conservatory of Music, said that cultural authorities should meet with artists "to learn about their needs and seek solutions and policies to help them develop their careers".

Võ Trọng Nam, the department’s deputy director, said that after the workshop the department would work with the Development Research Institute to complete the project and then submit it to the city’s People’s Committee.

Under the project, the city targets revenue from cultural industries making up 5 per cent of its GRDP in the 2020-25 period and 6 per cent in the 2025-30 period.

Earnings from the city’s film industry will reach VNĐ10 trillion ($432 million) by 2030, with earnings from Vietnamese films making up 50 per cent. 

The city plans to reach revenue of VNĐ1.7 trillion ($73.5 million) by 2030 from the performing arts sector, VNĐ550 billion ($23.8 million) from fine arts, and VNĐ3.3 trillion ($142.5 million) from photography.

The exhibition and advertising sectors are expected to earn VNĐ11 trillion ($475 million) and VNĐ57.2 trillion ($2.47 billion), respectively, by 2030.

As for cultural tourism, the city targets revenue of VNĐ8.6 trillion ($351.6 million) by 2030, while fashion sector revenue will reach VNĐ5.5 trillion ($237.7 million). — VNS