From a flagship venue…

Long regarded as a vibrant centre for the performing arts, especially circus and variety shows, the southern metropolis has faced persistent infrastructure shortages, with artists often performing in temporary venues lacking technical standards for complex acts.

After nearly three years of construction, the Phu Tho Circus and Multi-purpose Performance Centre, with a total investment of over VND1.39 trillion (nearly US$53 million) and a floor area exceeding 10,000 sq.m, comprising 12 above-ground floors and a modern basement system, was put into operation in April 2026, meeting the most stringent standards of international circus federations.

Designed as a flagship cultural institution, it offers a 2,000-seat main stage equipped with a multi-functional spiral lift system, enabling seamless transformation between dry, water and even ice performance settings – capabilities previously limited to leading global venues.

In its initial phase, free performances will be offered to the public, particularly policy beneficiaries, children and vulnerable groups, as part of efforts to cultivate cultural appreciation and expand audiences.

The venue is set to debut a new circus production, “Mysterious Land”, in July 2026, followed by an international circus festival in November, expected to attract troupes from at least eight countries and help position the city as a cultural tourism destination.

Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Arts Centre Luu Thi Bich Lien expressed her hope that the venue will go beyond a conventional circus space to become a modern multi-functional arts hub meeting international standards, thereby providing optimal conditions for artists to create and perform while offering residents and visitors high-quality and distinctive performances in a world-class cultural setting.

…to a broader cultural industry push

The project aligns with the Politburo's Resolution 80-NQ/TW, which prioritises cultural industries as a key economic sector. City authorities view the arena as a critical link in creating high-value cultural products that serve both public and commercial goals.

Ho Chi Minh City is simultaneously developing a broader network of cultural facilities, including the Rach Chiec National Sports Complex, a new symphony and opera house in Thu Thiem, and an expanded cultural space at Nha Rong Wharf. Together, these projects aim to form an integrated culture – tourism ecosystem capable of attracting international visitors and generating substantial revenue.

To support this shift, the city is piloting a “public investment – private management” model, whereby the State provides core infrastructure while enterprises handle operations and content development, thus enhancing efficiency and competitiveness.

Plans are also underway to establish a cultural industry development fund that offers financial and policy support for creative projects across both public and private sectors. Additional initiatives include building large-scale film studios, developing an AI-powered Vietnam Music Museum, and rolling out school theatre programmes to nurture younger audiences.

With these coordinated efforts, Ho Chi Minh City is steadily shaping a modern cultural ecosystem, with the Phu Tho centre emerging not only as a performance venue but also as a testing ground for a new governance model that combine public investment with private-sector dynamism to generate greater cultural and economic value.

Cultural industries emerge as new growth driver

The 2021–2025 period marked a turning point for Vietnam’s cultural industries as film, music, cultural tourism and video games surged into a new era of scale and sophistication, delivering billions of US dollars in revenue and while projecting a more confident, compelling vision of Vietnamese soft power to the world.