People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung - The person who spreads puppetry art in contemporary life

At the 4th Patriotic Emulation Congress of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung - Director of the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre was honored to receive a Certificate of Merit for his outstanding achievements in the period 2021-2025. This award is not only a recognition of the tireless efforts of an individual but also the result of the entire Vietnam Puppetry Theatre in the journey of preserving, promoting and creating to spread the art of puppetry more and more.

Born in 1972 in Hanoi into a family deeply connected to puppetry, Nguyen Tien Dung developed an early affinity for this unique theatrical art form. His father was one of the pioneering artists who laid the foundation for the Vietnam Puppet Theatre. His childhood, spent traveling with his father from Ha Nam and Hai Phong to Nam Dinh for rehearsals and performances, helped him absorb the craft early on, mastering puppetry techniques and nurturing a love for the profession as an integral part of his being.

From a young actor and passionate director, he gradually asserted his prowess on stage and accumulated valuable experience, eventually being awarded the title of People's Artist by the State in 2015, becoming one of the leading figures in contemporary puppet art.

People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung – The person who spreads the art of puppetry in contemporary life.

As the Director of the Vietnam Puppet Theatre, People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung has always been deeply aware of his role and responsibilities. Together with the theatre's leadership, he constantly seeks to innovate artistic activities, encourage creativity, and expand the performance areas. As a result, the number of performances and revenue of the theatre increase each year, allowing audiences in many regions to access the art of puppetry.

As a stage director, he is the author of many acclaimed plays: "A Love Song on the Mountain" (Best Director Award at the 5th International Experimental Theatre Festival, Hanoi 2022), "Hibiscus Flower" (Gold Award at the China-ASEAN Theatre Festival 2023), and especially "Independence Flower - Sacred Soul of the Mountains and Rivers" - a meticulously staged work to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd, becoming a memorable artistic milestone.

Not content with traditional stages, he expanded his creative scope by collaborating with Sun Group to establish a regular performance program at the À Ơi Theater (Phú Quốc). This is a strategic move, bringing puppetry out of familiar spaces, integrating it into the atmosphere of island tourism, and offering audiences both domestic and international a unique cultural experience.

Besides his artistic creative activities, People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung also led the theater's collective in its journey of international integration. His tours in many countries contributed to promoting puppet art to international friends, affirming the position of Vietnamese theater on the world cultural map.

Sharing his feelings at the Congress, People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung expressed: "I feel extremely honored and proud to be present at the Congress today. The Congress is like a grand reunion, where we can meet, exchange, and share experiences with colleagues from all fields. In particular, I feel even more honored to receive a Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This is a well-deserved recognition of the continuous efforts of myself and the Vietnam Puppet Theatre over the past time. At the same time, this is also a great source of encouragement, motivating me to continue contributing even more to the development of puppet art – a unique art form of Vietnamese theater."

People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung, along with other delegates, were awarded individual Certificates of Merit for their outstanding achievements in their work during the 2021-2025 period.

"I believe this award will also inspire my colleagues to join hands in preserving, creating, and spreading the love of art to a wider audience, especially the younger generation. In the coming journey, we will strive to maximize our potential to bring puppet art closer to the audience and maintain its position as a unique cultural beauty of the nation," said People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung.

With his outstanding contributions, he was also a National Emulation Soldier in 2023, and for many consecutive years he achieved the title of Emulation Soldier at the grassroots and ministerial levels. He was awarded the Third-Class Labor Medal (2021) along with many commendations from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and the Vietnam Association of Theatre Artists.

It can be said that the artistic journey of People's Artist Nguyen Tien Dung is a vivid testament to the passion, dedication, and courage of an artist who constantly creates. And on the road ahead, audiences have the right to expect that under his guidance, Vietnamese puppet art will continue to flourish, steadfastly preserving the national spirit, while harmonizing with the global artistic trends.

The Department of Personnel Organization, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is responsible for implementation.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/nsnd-nguyen-tien-dung-nguoi-lan-toa-nghe-thuat-mua-roi-trong-doi-song-duong-dai-2025092511145995.htm