In 2025, facing the accelerating evolution of the global centennial changes and a complex international landscape intertwined with shifts and upheavals, the World Association for the Performing Arts (WAPA)—initiated by China National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA)—upholds its core principles of "openness and inclusiveness, mutual respect, equality and cooperation, and mutual benefit." It continues to cultivate the fertile ground of global performing arts exchanges, making the bridge for cross-cultural dialogue increasingly solid and the vision of "building a global community of shared future for theatres" more distinct.

Throughout the year, WAPA has consolidated its foundation through membership expansion, gathered vitality via brand activities, deepened cooperation through practical initiatives, and smoothed channels with quality services, writing a new chapter of interconnection and shared prosperity in the global arts field.

Expanding the Global Network: A Stronger Synergy of Artistic Forces

As the saying goes, "Alone we go faster; together we go farther." In 2025, WAPA's global network achieved leapfrog development. Approved at the Annual Council Meeting, five new institutions officially joined, expanding the membership from 36 to 41, covering 26 countries across five continents. The increasingly dense artistic network spanning all continents has further demonstrated strong international cohesion.


Since its proposal in 2020 and formal registration as an independent legal entity in 2023, WAPA has brought together world-class institutions such as the Royal Ballet & Opera (UK), Teatro Real (Madrid, Spain), The Philadelphia Orchestra (USA), Teatro Colón (Argentina), Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and Royal Opera House Muscat (Oman), as well as key domestic theatres in China. It has formed a cooperative pattern of "global coverage and regional synergy," with its international influence and industry appeal continuously growing.

Revitalized Flagship Programs: Global Artistic Dialogue Sparks New Ideas

With three high-end forums—the Beijing Forum for Performing Arts, Beijing Forum for Symphonic Music, and Taihu International Stage Arts Forum—as the core, WAPA has built a central platform for global artistic exchange, breaking down the dual boundaries between art and nations.


The 2025 Beijing Forum for Symphonic Music, themed "Diversity Ignites Brilliance Pioneering Elevates Excellence", gathered over 190 art institutions and more than 300 industry representatives from over 30 countries and regions across five continents, culminating in the adoption of the Beijing Consensus to support the global development of symphonic music. "This three-day forum is crucial for the development of symphonic music and even the entire music industry. Its influence extends beyond Beijing to the whole world," noted Bongani Tembe, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic and Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (South Africa).


In 2025, diverse brand activities took root and benefited thousands of audiences. The 9th International Opera Film Exhibition featured 16 outstanding works from 7 countries, co-presented by member institutions including Teatro Real (Spain), Teatro Colón (Argentina), Royal Ballet & Opera (UK), and NCPA, as well as non-WAPA member institutions such as The Metropolitan Opera (USA). Screened in more than 20 cities across China, it became a model of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation in the industry. Meanwhile, the year-round "Music From Around the World" Online Performance Series continued, with participation from member institutions like the Lucerne Festival (Switzerland). Through global live broadcasts on multiple platforms, it brought the boundless resonance of art directly to audiences' hearts.


Looking ahead to 2026, WAPA will collaborate with member institutions to launch more new brand activities, injecting new momentum into the growth of young talents and the development of global arts through high-quality art performances, education outreach programs, and other events.

Deepening International Cooperation: Resource Linkages Build a New Hub

"True friendship transcends distance." 2025 marked the 76th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, and the 55th anniversary of China-Italy diplomatic relations. A WAPA delegation led by Chairperson WANG Ning visited Hungary and Italy, holding 14 meetings in 7 days, signing 1 strategic cooperation agreement, and reaching over 30 cooperation intentions to promote the implementation of joint productions, art film screenings, and other cooperation projects.

Practical cooperation among member institutions also flourished in 2025: The Tianjin Juilliard School and NCPA co-hosted the "Orchestral Symposium and Leadership Forum", gathering presidents of nearly 30 music conservatories worldwide to explore industry frontiers, and joint symphonic performances by teachers and students from various countries were widely praised; Daegu Opera House (Republic of Korea) and NCPA signed an agreement for a 2026 joint opera production, and artists from both sides co-presented a specially curated concert in South Korea as part of the "China-Japan-Korea Joint Opera Concert"; the Orchestra of Teatro Real (Madrid) made its debut visit to China, bringing classic Spanish artworks to Chinese audiences. With music as a medium, it played a harmonious movement of China-Spain friendship, adding new achievements to practical cooperation between the two institutions and serving as another successful practice of international cultural exchange under the WAPA framework.

Enhanced Operations and Services: Member Visiting Enter a New Normal

WAPA continued to promote standardized and internationalized operations, with member visiting evolving from initial acquaintance to in-depth mutual visits and regular interactions.


In 2025, nearly one-third of member institutions visited the NCPA and WAPA Secretariat, further consolidating the foundation for cooperation. Ms. Andrea Caruso Saturnino, General Director of Theatro Municipal de São Paulo (Brazil) made her first visit to the three locations of NCPA, attended the opening ceremony of the International Audio-Visual Artworks Expo, and explored cooperation intentions such as joint productions and opera tours with the NCPA. Frequent face-to-face exchanges have enabled cooperation to take root and added warmth to the global artistic network.


In 2025, the WAPA Secretariat continued to improve institutional development, further broadening channels and consolidating the foundation for the development and services of member institutions, as well as in-depth exchanges and cooperation among them. The 2025 WAPA Council Meeting made systematic arrangements for deepening the service system, optimizing cooperation mechanisms, and ensuring operational funds. WAPA's partner, Beijing Financial Street Capital Operation Group, made another donation to WAPA and reached a new phase of cooperation intention. Council members and representatives from institutions such as Teatro Real, Muscat Royal Opera House, Royal Ballet & Opera, and Teatro Colón jointly reviewed and approved the 2026 WAPA budget and offered suggestions for WAPA's next phase of work. WAPA official website (www.wapa.art) maintained regular updates, serving as a core window for information sharing and image display, with continuous improvement in organizational transparency and cohesion.


From the continuous expansion of membership scale and the renewal of brand activities to the in-depth implementation of practical cooperation and the continuous improvement of operational support, WAPA made steady progress in promoting the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations in 2025.

In 2026, WAPA will continue to deepen the concept of "a global community of shared future for theatres", focus on high-end global artistic dialogue, expand international exchanges and mutual visits, and promote cooperation to deeper levels and broader fields. May the flowers of art bloom brilliantly on the global stage, may cultural bonds connect more hearts, and may the "China Stage" and "World Theatres" shine brightly together, jointly composing a magnificent chapter of mutual appreciation and shared prosperity of civilizations

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