MGM and Guizhou Minzu University have officially signed a strategic collaboration agreement in Guiyang, jointly launching the "Macau 2049" Ethnic Arts Talent Cultivation Program. Through this university-enterprise collaboration, both parties aspire to forge a new channel for the international promotion of intangible cultural heritage, injecting Guizhou's distinctive cultural strengths into the global narrative of Chinese culture.

The agreement will leverage Guizhou Minzu University's strengths in ethnic arts education to establish an " Ethnic Arts Talent Development Center". Under this framework, MGM will select outstanding graduates annually by rigorous standards, to participate in the "Macau 2049" residency show after specialized training. This will create an integrated industry-academia-research cooperation model of "Guizhou cultivation, Macau practice, and global dissemination". The rich tapestry of Guizhou's intangible cultural heritage and traditional crafts will be transformed into dynamic visual narratives through cutting-edge technology on the "Macau 2049" stage, showcasing the contemporary aesthetics of intangible cultural heritage in the "City of Performing Arts." This initiative will further expand the global outreach of Guizhou’s ethnic culture through Macau and explore commercial pathways for the intellectual property of intangible cultural heritage.

Both sides regard this collaboration as a momentous cultural resonance for mutual enrichment between Guizhou and Macau, as well as a pioneering endeavor to integrate industry, academia and research. Through the international platform and professional mentorship provided by MGM, this program is poised to significantly enhance the students' professional skills, performance standards and practical experience.

Catarina Lio, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing of MGM, emphasized, "Each performance of 'Macau 2049' stands as a manifestation of our intangible cultural heritage to the world. We anticipate Guizhou students’ performances resonating throughout Macau and contributing to the cultural landscape of the Greater Bay Area."

Wang Lin, President of Guizhou Minzu University, remarked during the signing ceremony, "This collaboration embodies an innovative implementation of the General Secretary’s directives on fostering close cooperation between Guizhou and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. It not only paves the way for dynamic transmission of intangible cultural heritage through the integration of industry and education but also establishes a cultural bridge that connects Guizhou directly to the Greater Bay Area."

Founded as one of the earliest minorities-oriented universities in China, Guizhou Minzu University has successfully trained and developed over 170,000 professionals. The university has evolved into a pivotal training ground for talents in Guizhou, a center for technological research and development and an innovative hub for the preservation of exceptional ethnic cultures.

"Macau 2049", directed by Zhang Yimou, is a premier global resident show that debuted at the MGM Theater on December 15, 2024. Through an 80-minute immersive performance of eight chapters blending intangible cultural heritage with cutting-edge technology, the show vividly portrays Macau’s unique cultural identity as a base where "Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist".

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About MGM

MGM is an abbreviation for MGM China Holdings Limited (HKEx: 2282) and is a leading developer, owner and operator of gaming and lodging resorts in Greater China. We are the holding company of MGM Grand Paradise, SA which holds one of the six gaming concessions to run casino games in Macau. MGM Grand Paradise, SA owns and operates MGM MACAU, the award-winning premium integrated resort located on the Macau Peninsula and MGM COTAI, a contemporary luxury integrated resort in Cotai. 

MGM MACAU is a Forbes Five-Star luxury integrated resort inspired by the arts with every element of the resort infused with creativity and style. MGM MACAU has approximately 600 guest rooms and suites and boasts a number of distinguishing features, including the architecturally stunning European-inspired Grande Praça, housed under a soaring glass ceiling. The POLY MGM MUSEUM spanning almost 2,000 square meters, is constructed in accordance with Chinese national standards for the exhibition of Grade-One cultural relics. MGM MACAU’s world class facilities also include conference and event facilities, spa, and seven signature restaurants and bars to fulfill any gastronomic craving. Our property is conveniently located on the Macau Peninsula and is directly connected to the luxury retail shopping complex, One Central.

Designed as the “jewelry box” of Cotai, MGM COTAI offers approximately 1,400 hotel rooms and suites, meeting space, high end spa, retail offerings, food and beverage outlets as well as the first international Mansion at MGM for the ultimate luxury experience.  MGM has joined hands with renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou to set up the “Macau 2049” residency in MGM Theater. The Spectacle at MGM COTAI becomes the record holder of the largest free-span gridshell glazed roof (self-supporting) on January 19, 2019, making it the first architectural and structural GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for Macau, China. MGM COTAI is being developed to drive greater product diversification and bring more advanced and innovative forms of entertainment to Macau as it grows as a global tourist destination. MGM COTAI is the only mega complex and hotel in Macau to gain three-star certification in both Green Building Design and Operation Label, as well as the first hotel in the Greater Bay Area and second in Greater China to receive the certifications.

MGM China is majority owned by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a portfolio of destination resort brands including Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Park MGM. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's website at www.mgmresorts.com.

For media enquiries, please contact:    

Jessie Kuan

Executive Director of Public Relations

MGM

Tel: (853) 8806 3412

Email: jessiekuan@mgm.mo

Karen Lam

Senior Corporate Relations Manager

MGM

Tel: (853) 8806 3421

Email: karenlam@mgm.mo