A “Talent Training in Cultural and Creative Design for the Maritime Silk Road”, a programme supported by the 2025 China National Arts Fund, has officially started at the Palace Museum in Beijing, said Macau casino concessionaire MGM China Holdings Ltd in a recent press release.
Submitted by MGM China to the China National Arts Fund, the programme was “designed to promote research and innovative transformation on the cultural and historical heritage of the Maritime Silk Road, in a bid to nurture related talents,” stated the casino firm. It also aims to highlight “Macau’s pivotal role as a bridge between Chinese and Western cultures,” it added.
The programme was designed in collaboration with the Palace Museum and the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT). It involves a 60-day intensive coursework and field studies, “to explore several key nodes along the Maritime Silk Road,” stated the announcement.
The opening ceremony of the programme was held on June 16 at the Palace Museum, with the presence of 30 participants.
Du Haijiang, deputy director of the Palace Museum, was cited in the release as saying: “This programme seamlessly weaves the cultural essence of the Maritime Silk Road into contemporary art and design, ushering in a new chapter for cultural and artistic innovation.”
Pansy Ho Chiu King, chairperson and executive director of MGM China, said in prepared remarks that she hoped “young people will thrive” with the support from the cultural training programme, “and evolve into a new generation of cultural innovators equipped with knowledge, creativity, and a global perspective”.
According to the release, the programme adopts a “multifaceted” training approach, “combining theory, field studies, and practice”.
The programme will be held in Beijing, Quanzhou, Guangzhou, Hengqin, and Macau, “offering distinctive learning experiences,” said the casino firm.
“After these on-site sessions, participants will enter an online creative phase to refine their work through ongoing dialogue with instructors. The final outcomes will be unveiled in the first quarter of 2026,” it added.
