Having played a crucial ideological role during the long struggle for independence, Vietnamese cultural policy after 1945 was regarded as an important vehicle for strengthening the Communist revolution and advancing the socialist cause. Henceforward all forms of artistic expression and creativity were expected to contribute to the task of shaping behaviour so that it conformed with the Party Line (Đường lối Đảng).

A key factor in this development was the mass culture movement (Phong trào Văn hóa Quần chúng), which finds its origins in the ideological programmes organised at the front during the First Indochina War. Launched in the north during the 1950s and 1960s and spread throughout the south after 1975, this movement focused on the creation of an extensive network of culture houses, culture and information centres and cultural clubs with a view to encouraging participation in cultural activities and disseminating current state and Communist Party directives.

Meanwhile, in order to provide appropriate guidance in their work, individual Vietnamese artists were expected to become members of either the national arts and literature associations such as the Việt Nam Stage Artists' Association (Hội Nghệ sĩ Sân khấu Việt Nam), the Việt Nam Fine Art Association (Hội Mỹ thuật Việt Nam), the Việt Nam Writers' Association (Hội Nhà văn Việt Nam) and the Việt Nam Film Association (Hội Điện ảnh Việt Nam) or their counterpart associations at municipal/provincial level. Today membership of such professional arts and literature associations is still mandatory for those wishing to work in state-run performing troupes, to produce art on commission from the state, to have their literary works published or to make films, in other words to benefit in any way from state subsidy.