The national cultural policy supports professional and amateur collectives and institutions in the performing arts, including theatre, dance, and music. The state order for the creation of new works of high artistic value in various genres of theatrical art and ensuring their stage embodiment is widely and effectively implemented; the stimulation of the preparation of performances in theatres, the holding of republican and international theatre festivals and competitions, ensuring the participation of theatre groups in these events are implemented; etc.
There are 29 professional theatres in the country, including one opera and ballet theatre, 19 drama, musical comedy, and musical drama theatres, and nine children’s and youth theatres. These professional theatres include the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre, the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theatre, the Azerbaijan State Academic Russian Drama Theatre, the Azerbaijan State Theatre of Young Spectators, the Azerbaijan State Puppet Theatre, and the Azerbaijan State Pantomime Theatre, among others.
The “Expert Council on the Evaluation of the Content of the Annual Repertoires of Theatre and Performance Institutions and Performances Prepared based on State Order” comprised theatre critics, musicologists, artists, playwrights, psychologists and sociologists, was established under the Ministry of Culture at 28.12.2023, to ensure transparency in theatre and performance institutions, as well as to support the creative process, to prepare performances that are distinguished by their artistic and aesthetic value, reflect national and spiritual values, meet the requirements of the time, and to ensure the evaluation of the repertoires proposed by the theatrical institutions.
A National Theatre Forum was held on April 11-12, 2023, under the theme “Azerbaijani Theatre – 150: Development Prospects,” jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Heydar Aliyev Centre, with the participation of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. Actors, directors, managers, technical staff representatives, critics, and other theatre figures came together at the forum. They participated in productive, perspective-based and goal-oriented panel discussions on various topics such as “Traditions and Trends in Azerbaijani Theatre”, “Modern Actor’s School at the National Theatre: A Systematic Approach in the Renewal Process”, “Concept and Strategic Goals”, “Development of Human Capital in the Theatre Field”.
Among the interesting motivational projects implemented in 2023-2024 is the “Baku Premieres of Regional Theatres” project. It was implemented to revitalise the theatre process in the regions, support cooperation, facilitate creative exchange, and stimulate the activities of young directors. As part of the project, performances by regional state drama theatres (Lankaran, Sumgayit, Sheki, Fuzuli, Aghdam, Gazakh, Gusar, Gakh, Mingachevir, and Ganja) were organised on the stage of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre in 2024.
Within the framework of the project “Theatre Pedagogy for Schoolchildren,” implemented jointly by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education and Science in the second half of 2024, more than 10,000 schoolchildren had the opportunity to watch performances on various topics in state theatres operating in the regions under the Ministry of Culture.
Another interesting motivational initiative is the Ministry of Culture’s project “I Learn by Teaching”, within which prominent theatre figures hold master classes for professional and young actors of regional state theatres and amateur groups of folk theatres.
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