Celebrating its leading role

Since its inception in 2007, the center has produced 103 theatrical productions and held more than 600 exhibitions. It has built connections with 400-odd art institutions from over 70 countries and regions.

According to Gong, art education has been a major part of the center's mission with about 14,000 art educational programs, which attracted 5.4 million people since 2007. The online programs have garnered 5.5 billion clicks.

What made this year's celebration special is that two other venues also opened to the public — the NCPA Taihu Stage Art Centre, located in Taihu town, Beijing's Tongzhou district, and the recently opened Beijing Performing Arts Centre, near the Grand Canal in Tongzhou, one of the most important waterways in ancient China.

And at the latter venue, The Ballad of Canal, a Chinese opera produced by the NCPA, was staged as its opening performance on Dec 22.In 2024, the Beijing Performing Arts Centre plans to stage about 300 performances and about 300 art educational events.