It is understood that there are only two state-owned county-level literary and art groups in Ningxia, Qingtongxia City and Xiji County. Over the years, these two art troupes have actively cooperated with the propaganda work of the local Party committee and government, and shouldered the heavy responsibility of "guarding" the grassroots cultural positions in poverty-stricken areas through popular art forms.
Wang Yaoxian, head of Qingtongxia Cultural and Art Troupe, said that the poor areas are backward in economy and humanities, and it is even more necessary to spread advanced culture here. A political achievement, legal education, "Theory of Three Represents" theory, tax and fee reform, family planning, closing hillsides for grazing and other important work in the county are all involved. Stage art is more intuitive, and farmers can understand it at a glance. The Art Troupe creates dozens of programs around these contents every year.
Qingtongxia City and Xiji County are two good examples of grassroots cultural positions. Grassroots literary and art workers in these two cities and counties complained that although we all know that state-owned county-level cultural and art troupes play an important role in grassroots cultural construction, they have long been faced with the development dilemma of "people and money are empty". First of all, the grassroots lack funds. Fortunately, the government has always insisted on distributing 80% of the salary to the actors, but every performance has to be provided with food, shelter, transportation, makeup, clothing and car rental by itself. For this reason, the actors often sleep on the stage, sleep in the sheepfold, eat steamed bread against the wind and sand, and all fall ill.
People in poor areas have no money to watch performances, and it is difficult for cultural and art groups to generate income. Coupled with the publicity performances arranged by the government every year, in order to survive, the number of performances can only be reduced to rural areas. Second, the salary is low and people can't stay. The average monthly salary of the first-line performers in the Art Troupe is less than that in 800 yuan, and many business backbones have left. In recent years, Qingtongxia Art Troupe has lost more than 30 people, and Xiji County Art Troupe has also lost more than 20 people.