• MGM and Guizhou Minzu University launched the “Macau 2049 Ethnic Arts Talent Cultivation Program” in March.
• The program is a new talent development initiative aimed at preserving and promoting ethnic performing arts.

In late March, MGM and Guizhou Minzu University officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Guiyang to launch the “Macau 2049 Ethnic Arts Talent Cultivation Program” – a new talent development initiative aimed at preserving and promoting ethnic performing arts.

Under the agreement, the two parties will establish an Ethnic Arts Talent Development Centre to serve as a dedicated training base. Leveraging Guizhou Minzu University’s academic expertise in ethnic arts education, the center will select top-performing graduates each year to join the cast of Macau 2049 – MGM’s flagship resident show in Macau – thereby creating a model of “Guizhou cultivation, Macau practice and global dissemination”.

The initiative seeks to revitalize Guizhou’s intangible cultural heritage by merging traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge stage technology. Presented in Macau, which has positioned itself as a City of Performing Arts, Macau 2049 offers a global platform for showcasing ethnic aesthetics while exploring commercial pathways for intangible cultural heritage intellectual properties.

Both MGM and Guizhou Minzu University describe the partnership as a breakthrough in industry-academia collaboration and a key step toward fostering cultural exchange between Guizhou and Macau. By offering students access to MGM’s international stage and expert mentorship, the program is expected to elevate their artistic capabilities and practical experience.

Catarina Lio, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing of MGM, remarked, “We anticipate Guizhou students’ performances resonating throughout Macau and contributing to the cultural landscape of the Greater Bay Area.”

Wang Lin, President of Guizhou Minzu University, added, “This cooperation not only paves the way for dynamic transmission of intangible cultural heritage through the integration of industry and education but also establishes a cultural bridge that connects Guizhou directly to the Greater Bay Area.”

Macau 2049 is a globally-acclaimed resident show at the MGM Theater created by renowned director Zhang Yimou.