China Art Festival: Rich artistic atmosphere felt in Shanghai

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China's top arts festival has come to Shanghai for the first time. The China Art Festival is casting the city of the Oriental Pearl in an artistic light. Take a look.

Shanghai "Big World". One of the city's most popular landmarks. Built in 1917, Shanghai "Big World" has long been regarded by locals as the city's most attractive entertainment venue. Various kinds of performances are staged there during the China Art festival. Free and low-price performances are also organized in public spaces, allowing artists to get closer to crowds.

"It is not my first time to come to see the performance. I like operas very much and like to feel the atmosphere at the stage."

MA JIA PEKING OPERA ACTRESS "The festival is getting better and better. Our performances are closer to the people. The audience can see me very clearly and I need to pay attention to every detail. I think this is also a test of an actor."

Over to the lawn of Zhongshan Park, an open-air performance at night lights up the city. Thousands of people are immersed in the world of art.

"After dinner, I went out with my kid in the park. Then I heard the music. I'm lucky to have a chance to see it. The artistic atmosphere in China is really getting stronger."

The China Art Festival opened on May 20th, featuring 102 performances by Chinese art troupes, covering opera, dance drama, concerts and folk opera. There is also a grand art exhibition that will run through August. Ten shows were honored with the Wenhua Award from the 38 nominees that were selected from shows around the nation over the past three years.

The Wenhua Award is a prize for professional stage performances. On average, more than 80 percent of the tickets were sold for each show, attracting nearly 100-thousand people. More than 114 million people watch the shows online.

"We came all the way from Shenzhen, because during this period there will be a variety of good plays in the city. I did not expect a realistic drama to be so touching. I am very happy to see such a wonderful play at such a low ticket price."

Shanghai, a modern city with traditional character, is sometimes called the "Paris of the Orient". It attracts tourists from home and abroad. In Xuhui District, TANK Shanghai museum sits on the original site of Shanghai Longhua Airport, the earliest airport in China. Here can be seen the immense inaugural exhibition "teamLab: Universe of Water Particles".

"I often come to see exhibitions. But it is my first time to have this kind of experience. I like the lighting effect. It is novel. My friends like it too."

Meanwhile, one of the commercial landmarks in Shanghai, the Xintiandi, has fourth installment of its festival season. Shows of various kinds are staged in the public space, from artistically challenging to family friendly, from visual to physical.

"In Shanghai, cultural life is very rich, and more people are getting involved. For example, if you are free on weekends, you may be able to see seven or eight plays a day, and immerse yourself in an artistic world."

The China Art Festival, founded in 1987, is held every three years in a different city. The next one will be in Beijing in 2022.