64% of youth surveyed back ‘City Of Performing Arts’ vision

Sixty-four percent of young Macau residents support transforming the city into a “City Of Performing Arts,” according to a recent survey by the Macao New Chinese Youth Association.

The results from their street questionnaire survey were released yesterday at the association’s Youth Center. The street questionnaire, conducted in May, queried 789 residents aged 18 to 44 on performing arts policies, their own concert-viewing habits, as well as any specific facility needs or demands.

Survey respondents highlighted key economic benefits of performances. They rated “attracting visitors from outside Macau” highest at 4.25 out of 5 points. “Boosting the local economy” scored 4.04 out of 5. “Increasing youth employment options” earned 3.42 out of 5.

The study also shows performances driving secondary spending among Macau youth. About 21.3% reported pre-show dining, while 20.7% noted post-show meals. Meanwhile, 19.3% indicated that they would purchase official concert merchandise.

Regarding the Outdoor Performance Area in Cotai, the association noted awareness gaps among respondents. Nearly 29% said they were “unfamiliar” with the Macau Outdoor Performance Zone in Cotai, while 35.9% gave it a neutral “half and half” rating, the association reports.

Based on these findings, the association said this indicates room for better promotion and upgrades.

Four recommendations

The association paired its findings with four key recommendations. First, establish Macau as an “arts-friendly city” through a “government providing the platform and the market performing” model.

It states the government should “encourage leisure enterprises and commercial institutions with keen insight and capital advantages to compete for top concert resources, while playing a platform-building and support role.” This approach would focus on “removing obstacles to market operation, such as optimizing venue rental processes, improving traffic management, optimizing the public environment, enhancing the city’s performance atmosphere, and filling gaps in multicultural and arts education that are difficult for the commercial market to cover.”

Second, in order to transform “low-frequency large venues” into “high-frequency cultural hotspots,” the association suggested “comprehensively optimizing the hardware and software facilities” at the Macau Outdoor Performance Zone in Cotai. They proposed that lower rental thresholds and simplified approvals would attract mid-tier and emerging acts for electronic music festivals, band marathons, or food carnivals.

Third, the association recommends a dual-track strategy of “cultivating local stars” and “reserving technical talent” to create a talent pool. This positions youth as the “core engine” in building a “City of Performing Arts.”

Recommendations include opening public spaces and mid-sized venues for on-stage and off-stage training. It states that leisure enterprises should offer “paid internships” and “management trainee programs” for behind-the-scenes roles, as well as mechanisms for local opening acts. Under this philosophy, the association said, “young people would ‘learn by doing under’ international teams.” This would see these individuals evolve from audience members into industry leaders.

It was also recommended that a “large-scale performance certification system” be created to boost the “ticket stub economy,” with consumption vouchers offered for certified shows and benefits channeled to communities through fan gathering spots at local merchants.