HONG KONG — Vietnamese experimental theatre has made its mark at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC 2026), held from October 6-9 at the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) in Hong Kong, China.

Director and theatre practitioner Nguyễn Bích Trà, founder of the independent theatre project The Run – A Theatre Project on October 7 joined an international panel discussion themed From Survival to Strategy: Economic and Funding Pressures and Future Pathways for Performing Arts in the Asia-Pacific.

The session, chaired by Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and Vice Chair of AAPPAC, brought together speakers from China, Australia, Hong Kong and Việt Nam to discuss financial challenges, independent operating models and strategies for sustaining contemporary theatre projects amid socio-economic changes.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Trà said she was honoured that the voice of an independent Vietnamese artist could be heard at a regional forum on the future of the performing arts. She said the conference provided an opportunity to learn from and connect with international peers, while motivating her to bring greater opportunities to Vietnamese artists and practitioners.

Founded by Trà in 2018, The Run – A Theatre Project is an independent platform focusing on developing infrastructure for experimental theatre and exploring new approaches to theatrical practice. It provides a space for young playwrights, directors and producers to experiment with new forms of performance and combine theatre with visual and interdisciplinary arts.

Trà previously served as Acting Director of Sàn Art, an independent contemporary art space in HCM City. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon University in the US under a Fulbright scholarship and has directed and performed works in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Berlin, Jakarta and Tokyo.

AAPPAC 2026 brings together more than 350 performing arts leaders, cultural practitioners and artists from leading arts centres, theatres and performing arts organisations across the Asia-Pacific region. The conference marks the association’s 30th anniversary and is the first AAPPAC conference hosted by the West Kowloon Cultural District, ahead of the planned opening of the West Kowloon Performing Arts Centre in 2027. 

Việt Nam's participation in the regional forum highlights the growing international engagement of the country’s performing arts community. — VNA/VNS