In celebration of the 113th anniversary of the birth of President Kim Il Sung, the 9th April Spring People’s Art Festival officially opened in Pyongyang with grand festivities.
The festival features performances from amateur art groups representing institutions, factories, companies, and farms across the country. These performances are categorised by administrative regions (cities and counties), governmental institutions, workplaces, and agricultural collectives.
The opening ceremony took place on April 10 at the Pyongyang Circus Theater, drawing a large and enthusiastic audience.
To welcome the participants, artists from central art troupes, members of the women’s union in Pyongyang, and students filled the stage with vibrant, celebratory dances, transforming the venue into a sea of color and rhythm.
As performers entered the venue, their faces were lit with excitement and pride. Many expressed a passionate desire to pay tribute through music and dance to the country’s late founder, while also showcasing the strength and growth of grassroots cultural expression.
Attending the ceremony were Ju Chang Il, department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, alongside various officials, festival participants, and citizens of Pyongyang.
Minister of Culture Song Jong Gyu, chairman of the festival’s organizing committee, delivered the opening address. He described the festival as a unique celebration of DPRK homegrown cultural identity, one that reflects the people’s unwavering loyalty to their leadership and their shared vision for national prosperity. He emphasized that the event also embodies the nation’s determination to continue developing its socialist society under the leadership of Kim Jong Un.
As the national song “Shining Motherland” echoed through the venue, the official festival flag was hoisted.
The ceremony concluded with a grand performance by leading Korean art groups, including the Sea of Blood Opera Company, the National Folk Art Troupe, and the National Circus Troupe.
