State-owned performing arts troupes draw millions with livestreamed shows

An increasing number of state-owned performing arts troupes are embracing digital transformation, using livestreaming platforms as new stages for their performances.

In April 2023, under the guidance of the Market Management Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), the China Association of Performing Arts (CAPA) and popular Chinese short-video app Douyin launched a special program to help performing arts troupes develop new business models and move their performances online.

By December 2025, 499 state-owned performing arts troupes and 6,183 troupe performers had joined Douyin, streaming more than 819,000 performances. Over the past three years, an average of 830 professional troupe performances were livestreamed daily on the platform.

In spring 2024, Ningbo Performance & Arts Group in east China's Zhejiang Province, which operates professional troupes specializing in Yue opera, Yong opera, song and dance, and drama, began exploring livestreaming.

Soprano Zhu Lin from Ningbo Performance & Arts Group performs during a livestream session. (Photo/Xinhua)

Su Xing, deputy head of the group's Yong Opera Troupe, took the lead in testing the waters, using melodious operatic vocals to win fans and introduce more young people to this local opera genre. Erhu musician Zhang Jinliang garnered widespread praise with his performances, while soprano Zhu Lin connected with fans through her livestreams. Since launching livestream sessions, Ningbo Performance & Arts Group has accumulated over 100 million views.

The China National Opera House officially joined Douyin in late 2024. Its livestreaming anchor accounts quickly grew from just over 10 to more than 40, gaining over 300,000 followers. In 2025, it held over 2,600 livestream sessions, attracting more than 30 million views.

Beyond encouraging artists to launch livestream sessions, the opera house's official account also arranges for lead performers to conduct pre-show previews and behind-the-scenes tours before major performances. As of December 2025, the official account had conducted 68 livestream sessions, with a single session drawing up to 30,000 concurrent viewers at its peak.

In September 2025, the second season of Douyin's annual showcase of performing arts troupes was held online, attracting 80 troupes from 20 provincial-level regions.

Alongside these national heavyweights, local troupes have shown ingenuity in bringing regional cultures to wider audiences, collectively weaving a vibrant tapestry of Chinese culture.

"The rapid development of online livestreaming has not only enriched quality cultural offerings but also reshaped the cultural market," said Xie Hui, deputy director of the Market Management Department of the MCT.

As the special program continues to evolve, a thriving online artistic ecosystem is taking root, allowing artistic treasures long held within troupes to truly resonate with the public, Xie added.

"When we first ventured into livestreaming, we worried that online broadcasts might draw audiences away from offline performances. Practice has proved our concerns unfounded. Many performers report that fans in their livestream sessions frequently ask about offline performance schedules, hoping to buy tickets and visit theaters to support their favorite performers," said Wu Zhao, deputy director of the China National Opera House.

This made the team realize that through livestreaming, the opera house can attract and reach potential audiences, achieving positive online-offline interaction, Wu noted.

"Short videos and livestreaming have proved highly effective for promoting local opera forms like Yong opera. Some long-time fans travel from far away to attend performances," said Su.

A compelling livestreamed performance can transcend geographical boundaries and reach countless potential audience members, a considerable portion of whom become theatergoers, said Pan Yan, vice president and secretary-general of CAPA.

Pan believes livestreaming not only gives troupes direct access to hundreds of millions of viewers and generates considerable revenue, but is also reshaping how they produce content.

"Online-offline integration has become a key trend leading troupes' digital development," Pan said.

Many performing arts troupes' active experimentation with "group livestreaming" — a new format featuring multi-performer live broadcasts — provides vivid proof of this trend, including the Shaanxi Provincial Song and Dance Troupe in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

"Starting in June 2025, after four months of group livestreaming, our livestream sessions garnered 5.43 million views," said Meng Ding, director of the troupe, adding that this is equivalent to a full year's work in offline terms.