Continuing to innovate literature and art in the new period

Poet Kim Ba - Chairman of the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Literature and Arts Association, interviewed by Dong Khoi Newspaper. Photo: Thanh Dong

* Dear poet Kim Ba! Could you please tell us about the proud achievements that the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Literature and Arts Association has achieved, contributing to the development of the province's literature and arts?

- Poet Kim Ba: Through 7 congresses, the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Literature and Arts Association has constantly consolidated and improved its organization, improved and innovated its methods of operation to simultaneously perform well its duties of propaganda, education, and mobilizing society to implement the Party and State's policies and guidelines through each revolutionary period. The Association has increasingly developed its membership in both quantity and quality, in order to serve the local political tasks.

The official establishment of the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Literature and Arts Association on June 30, 1980 marked a new stage of development of the province's Literature and Arts; it is a unit led by the Provincial Party Committee through the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department, managed by the State and is a member of the system of Vietnam Literature and Arts Associations. At the same time, the Association is also a member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front of the province.

In the first Congress in 1980, the number of local members was still very modest, the number of Central members operating in the province was too small. In the following congresses, the number of admitted members gradually increased. By the seventh Congress (term 2020 - 2025), the number of local members was 315, of which 72 were Central members. This shows that cultural and artistic activities have received strong support from all walks of life.

The team of members has truly promoted their creativity with their own dedicated products, contributing to the implementation of historical - cultural and artistic works of a summary nature of the industry, unit, and locality. The team of artists of the province in all majors is generally assessed as being among the strongest teams in the Mekong Delta region, bringing more and more national and regional cultural and artistic awards to the province. Among them, there are a number of awards at the top of the country. For example, the A prize of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations (for the Dong Khoi monument cluster, the Memorial House of patriotic poet Nguyen Dinh Chieu, writer Trang The Hy with the work "Debt of tears" ...); 2 awards of the Vietnam Writers Association; 12 awards of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association; 10 awards of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists ... In particular, 1 State prize for the work "Poetry Award - Dong Khoi Memories" by musician Vo Dang Tin; 2 awards from regional and central members.

* According to you, what problems does the modern social context pose for cultural and artistic activities?

- Currently, there is still a situation where many management units are still subjective, not wholeheartedly devoted, and have not devoted adequate resources to cultural and artistic activities... limiting cultural and artistic activities, especially at the grassroots level.

The investment of resources for culture and arts has not met the requirements. This is a common situation in the whole country. Many traditional arts have not been able to develop their unique characteristics and are gradually fading away due to lack of adequate investment. The policy of socializing culture and arts is the right policy. However, applying it widely, even to traditional arts, is "more harmful than beneficial".

The explosion of the Internet and social networks is also a challenge for the promotion of literary and artistic works, especially in local associations. It also burdens the mentality of dependence and waiting for support rather than self-reliance and self-association in popularizing and promoting literary and artistic works, bringing works to the public.

The successor team in the current literary field also needs to be given real and proper attention. It is increasingly difficult to add to the team of young, passionate and enthusiastic people. There are some art fields that have almost no young people left. This is an alarming reality that those working in the management of culture and arts need to pay special attention to.

* What are the directions for cultural and artistic activities in the coming period, sir?

- We need to continue to study and effectively apply the Resolution of the 5th Central Committee, Session VIII, on “The Party’s Cultural Strategy in the Renewal Period”; Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW of the Politburo (Session X) on “Continuing to build and develop literature and arts in the new period”, Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW of the Central Executive Committee, Session XI, on “Building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development”, for cadres, members, collaborators, artists, to innovate thinking, creativity in management, administration, in creating and promoting works in accordance with the characteristics and requirements of practical life, to promote the promotion of literary and artistic works, and to bring works to the public in many suitable and vivid forms. Pay attention to promoting socialization in the right direction, aiming to diversify investment resources, overcome the mindset of waiting and relying, quickly grasping new things and making effective use of them.

The content of the works must closely follow the guidelines, policies, laws of the Party and the State; closely follow the development targets and plans of the province to strengthen propaganda, education, guidance, aesthetic orientation, promote the good, the positive, criticize and destroy the wrong, the bad, the backward... Each artist promotes the spirit of a citizen - an artist to fulfill the obligations and rights specifically stipulated in the Association's Charter.

Linking and coordinating activities, creating many rich and diverse "playgrounds" for creative activities. Linking and coordinating with many levels, sectors, and localities; linking with the Central and grassroots units to open many creative camps, many literary and artistic competitions, many literary and artistic works and products; linking and coordinating both in organizing creativity and promoting works on many media and in many corresponding forms; creating a positive influence on artists and the public...

* Thank you, Chairman of the Literature and Arts Association Nguyen Dinh Chieu!

T. Dong (implementation)

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/tiep-tuc-doi-moi-sang-tao-van-hoc-nghe-thuat-trong-giai-doan-moi-28032025-a144346.html