National Center for the Performing Arts

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) , located on the West Chang’an Avenue in the heart of Beijing, is adjacent to the Great Hall of the People and the Tian’anmen Square. The NCPA consists of four theatres, including the Opera House, the Concert Hall, the Theatre and the Multi-functional Theatre, and some supplementary facilities, with total floor areas of 217,500 square metres. The entire architectural complex demonstrates a simple but elegant style. The uniquely shaped main structure, crystal-clear water pond and a vast expanse of green space that surrounds NCPA not only showcase the brilliant brightness of the “pearl on the water” but also highlight the design concept and feature integrating the theatre and the city.

A major national cultural project, the NCPA bears the expectations and dreams of generations since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Since its inauguration in 2007, the NCPA has always adhered to its founding principles of “for the people, for art, for the world”, upheld the “people-centred” creative orientation, and valued such notions as inspiration, preservation, innovation, openness and inclusiveness. It has rapidly become a national performing arts centre with “Chinese characteristics and worldclass excellence”.

The NCPA is committed to building itself into a multi-functional platform: a platform for the performing arts, for themed artistic creativity, for art popularization and education, for comprehensive art exhibition, for cultural communication and cooperation, and for online cultural promotion. In terms of performance and operation, the NCPA sets a high artistic bar for programmes both home and abroad of various genres including opera, concerts, dance, drama, and traditional Chinese operas, in order to satisfy the public’s growing need for a better life. In terms of artistic production, the NCPA resonates with the times and echoes the cultural needs of the people; by establishing a full-process, highstandard and meticulous production system, it has presented more than 100 productions of classic Chinese and foreign works that embody profundity, virtuosity and quality. In terms of art popularization, the NCPA holds the belief of “Art Changes Life” in its ongoing effort to nurture the public with art; its “Nurturing Project” brings people closer to art and let art change their lives. In terms of cultural exchange, the NCPA, based in China and with an eye on the world, initiated the World Association for Performing Arts in an effort to facilitate the dissemination and development of performing arts worldwide; it brings works with Chinese elements on tours around the world, “telling Chinese stories and promoting Chinese perspectives.” In terms of comprehensive art exhibition, the NCPA taps its potentials in different varieties of arts and has established acomprehensive arts gallery to present historical artefacts, paintings, photography, sculpture, and stage art, among others. In terms of online cultural promotion, the NCPA keeps empowering art with technology, parallels its live programmes with streaming and online performances, and enhances its capabilities of smart management.

Over years of operation and development, the NCPA has vigorously implemented the branding strategy, globalization strategy and talent strategy. Adopting an institutional mechanism that combines the management mode of a public institution and the operational mode of an enterprise, it has invented and developed the “NCPA model” with art performances, repertoire production, and art popularization as the focus, with communications, exchange, marketing and branding as important methods, and with specialized operation, refined management and high-tech support as the key drivers. In this way, it has effectively achieved the alignment between art and market, charity and commerce, social benefits and economic profits, providing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solution for modern theatre operation. With the new operation model of “a performing arts centre with three locations,” the NCPA will continue to follow the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, uphold its founding principles and philosophy, uphold the commitment of serving the people with art, maintain cultural confidence, remain true to its original aspiration and work hard to forge ahead. We will continue to play a leading and exemplary role in such aspects as promoting artistic innovation and facilitating the international dissemination and influence of Chinese culture, with the aim of building a worldclass palace of art to last for centuries.