VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam needs a law to ensure the development of performing arts in line with people's demands and the country's global integration, experts told a recent conference in HCM City.

Illustrative image -- File photo

Most attendees agreed that performing arts have played a major role in improving spiritual life, preserving and highlighting the nation's traditional values, inculcating patriotism and national pride in people, and shining the spotlight on heroes of national liberation.

While there are legal documents spelling out the roles and responsibilities of regulatory agencies at various levels, many of them are outdated and have struggled to keep pace with the rapid changes occurring on the arts scene, they said.

Tran Van Minh, deputy chief inspector at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said existing legal provisions do not clearly identify the agencies responsible for checking, granting and cancelling licenses for art performances.

As a result, there are many violations, particularly in advertising art performances and fashion shows, he said.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien also stressed the need to soon to have a comprehensive law on performing arts.

"Viet Nam has in recent years deeply integrated with the world by signing bilateral and multilateral agreements such as WTO, FTA and TPP.

"While most countries around the world consider laws as institutions for regulating international relations, Viet Nam has only decrees and circulars.

"This does not meet international norms."

The law on performing arts must be based on practical requirements and should be able to create an environment in which artists can fully show their creativity, while also spelling out their obligations and safeguarding their rights, he said.

"The law needs to be thorough but also appropriate for the country's global integration."

Minh agreed with him, saying: "In the meanwhile, we need to amend existing legal provisions so that they help official agencies effectively manage art performances.

"In the long term we need to have a performing arts law with provisions both enabling regulations and meeting the country's integration requirements."

At the conference, organised by the Department of Performing Arts (DPA), Department of Legal Affairs, HCM City's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, DPA deputy director Dao Dang Hoan spoke about plans to draft a law on performing arts with seven chapters.

But he revealed no further details.

VNS