"Nursery" for arts and culture in Quang Nam province

The Quang Land Magazine, one of the journalistic publications that "nurtures" and provides creative inspiration for artists and writers. Photo: BA

Fertile land

Poet Nguyen Tan Ai had his first poem published in a newspaper 40 years ago – in the Youth Vanguard Newspaper, with a poem "inspired by" the film "The Rendezvous". But after that joyful "first time," it wasn't until 27 years later – in 2010 – that he had another poem published in a newspaper, this time a poem about his mother, in the Quang Land Magazine.

From this point onward, Nguyen Tan Ai's works—not only poetry but also short stories, essays, and criticism—continually appeared in Quang Nam Newspaper, Dat Quang Magazine, Quang Nam Culture Magazine, and many other newspapers and magazines in other localities.

"I feel a sense of warmth and closeness when my work is selected for publication in the newspapers of my hometown. For me, it's not only a reliable place to entrust my work, but also fertile ground for me to hone my writing skills and strive for creativity," he added.

Similarly, Ho Loan, a relatively new prose writer from Quang Nam today, says that thanks to the press – specifically the newspapers and magazines of her hometown – she has been able to confidently continue on her literary path.

Besides the two magazines specializing in literature and art, Dat Quang and Van Nghe Tam Ky, she also consistently receives suggestions and encouragement from the editors of Quang Nam Newspaper. "The closeness and friendliness of the staff at the editorial offices help me feel more confident in my journey of self-discovery," Ho Loan confided.

When young photographer Le Trong Khang chose photography as a profession to make a living, he never imagined that one day he would become a professional art photographer and be recognized as a true photographic artist.

But after taking some "quite beautiful" photos, Khang tried sending them to Dat Quang Magazine and they were published. After that, Le Trong Khang focused more on artistic photography, and the number of his works selected for publication increased steadily.

After "Dat Quang," thanks to a connection and suggestion from an editor at Quang Nam Newspaper, Khang began creating more purposeful works, and his photos subsequently appeared continuously in the newspaper's publications.

“I am grateful to the newspapers and magazines I have collaborated with. They are not only places to ‘evaluate’ the quality of my work but also places to nurture creativity. There are times when I run out of ideas, but thanks to reading newspapers and receiving suggestions, I find great topics and discover unique beauties that are very close to me, right in the life around me…” - Le Trong Khang said.

In particular, even in fields less closely related to journalism, such as music , theater, and fine arts, the positive impact of journalism is still quite evident. A playwright specializing in short plays for the stage said that articles about his writing career or reviews of some of his scripts have given him the motivation to continue pursuing the profession.

Meanwhile, sculptor Tran Duc said that from the illustration commissions from Dat Quang Magazine, he has gained new experiences, learned more about life and art, and enriched his emotions to expand and innovate his creative space.

Artists and writers participate in the "Quang Nam in a New Era" themed arts and literature workshop in Nui Thanh in March 2025. Photo: Bao Anh

Connecting and sharing

At the Quang Nam Literature and Arts Association, photographers like Dang Ke Dong, Huynh Ha, Phan Vu Trong, Le Trong Khang, and artists like Vo Nhu Dieu, Tran Van Binh, Le Viet Thang... are often jokingly referred to by their colleagues as "cover faces".

It's not because their portraits are printed on book or newspaper covers, but because many of their works have been selected to be featured on the covers of Quang Nam Magazine and several publications of Quang Nam Newspaper.

This is a popular "channel" for promoting and introducing works of art, favored by many artists and writers due to its wide reach and the unique and distinctive way in which the works are exploited and used.

Furthermore, according to one photographer, almost every one of his works used for cover art is connected to a story of collaboration and frank exchange in the spirit of art. Therefore, what remains after each creative process is not just the name and form of the work, but also the bonds and shared affection.

Over the past nearly 28 years, artists and writers who are members of the Quang Nam Provincial Association of Literature and Arts have published more than 350 books, including photo books, art catalogs, song collections, poetry, short stories, novels, research papers, theoretical works, criticism, and translations.

A common feature of most of these books is that some of their content was previously published in specialized newspapers and journals. In fact, in some books, the proportion of individual works previously published in newspapers reaches 70-80%.

Poet Nguyen Tan Ai said that many of his short stories and poems, when published in books, "use words" from editors of newspapers and magazines, because, in his opinion, these are all appropriate changes and adjustments. Some other literary authors said that each time they publish a book, they feel much more confident when compiling works that have already been published in newspapers because they have been reviewed and selected by media organizations.

Therefore, it's not surprising that occasionally, in books where, below each individual work, in addition to the date of creation, the author also notes, "This work has been published in a newspaper/magazine...; issue dated... month... year." This is not only a way to remember and clarify the work's history, but also a form of appreciation.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/vuon-uom-van-nghe-xu-quang-3157199.html