Taipei, July 20 (CNA) A country's level of democracy is reflected in the development of its performing arts, Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Culture Hsiao Tsung-huang said Saturday, commenting on an upcoming award ceremony that recognizes excellence in traditional arts and music.

The arts are the most important aspect of a country's soft power, and traditional arts are the essence of its culture, Hsiao said, ahead of the 30th Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music (GMATAM) that will be held Aug. 10 in Taipei.

"In Taiwan, we have cultural heritage from China, Japan, Holland, Spain and Portugal, which has resulted in a deep melting pot of cultures and an acceptance of many cultures," Hsiao told CNA. "Against that background, we can see diverse traditional arts in Taiwan."

The development of a country's performing arts reflects its level of democracy, he said.

The Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music will honor artists, groups and works that have contributed to Taiwan's diverse, creative, and rich cultural heritage, according to the organizers.

"Artists, promoters, and people who work in the traditional and cultural performing arts" will be among the awardees at the ceremony, Chen Chi-ming, director of the National Center for Traditional Arts (NCFTA), told CNA.

Among them, the album "Image Taiwan II" by the Taipei Philharmonic Chamber Choir has been nominated for six awards -- best art music album, best performance, best recording, best composition, best lyrics, and best producer.

The theater production "The Cursed Royal Family" by the Tang Mei-Yun Taiwanese Opera Company has received five nominations for best ensemble performance, best script, best actor, and best music design.

The music album "Singing Organ in the Rainy Night" by Abby Chen has also been nominated for several awards, including best art music album, best album producer, best recording, best musical performance, and best arrangement.

This year, two people -- sound engineer Yeh Chwei-ching and playwright Wang An-chi-- will receive Special Awards for their "contributions and achievements in the fields of traditional and artistic audio publishing and theatrical performing arts, respectively," according to the Ministry of Culture.

In 2014, the GMATAM was separated from the Golden Melody Awards, known as Taiwan's Grammys, and have since been held under the auspices of the National Center for Traditional Arts.