The GBA Cultural Week will kick off on October 18 in Shanghai

By Yang Yulai, SFC, 21st Century Business Herald

On the afternoon of September 11, the press conference for “The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA) Cultural Week” of the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival was held in Guangzhou. The GBA Cultural Week will kick off on October 18th, with Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao jointly organizing outstanding cultural programs to be showcased in Shanghai.

The press conference introduced that The GBA Cultural Week contains 7 stage performances with 14 shows, the Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition, intangible cultural heritage displays, international performing arts exchanges, and other diverse activities, which aims to showcase the profound heritage and vibrant energy of Lingnan culture, deepening cultural interaction and integration between the Greater Bay Area and Shanghai along with the Yangtze River Delta region.

The 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival will take place from October 17 to November 27, one of the most influential comprehensive international arts festivals in the country. 

At the press conference, Li Ming, the president of the China Shanghai International Arts Festival Center, highlighted three major features of this year’s festival. First, it gathers top global arts and culture, building a high-quality cultural hub and a sourcing point. This festival will feature 55 performances and 129 shows, nearly 60% of which are international programs, with over 90% having their Shanghai premiere.

Second, it strengthens international cultural exchanges and leads industry trends. The International Performing Arts Conference and International Dialogue will attract over 500 institutions from more than 50 countries and regions, with over 2,000 guests attending.

Third, it promotes inclusive art sharing and creates a vibrant city cultural atmosphere. The festival adheres to the “People’s City” concept, aiming to make culture accessible and participatory for all.

The GBA Cultural Week in Shanghai not only serves as a concentrated display of the cultural image of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao but also provides an important opportunity to promote cultural mutual learning and resource sharing between the Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta region. 

This cultural week featuring the “Reform Mission–Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition” in Shanghai will be the largest Guangdong art exhibition ever held in terms of both the variety of works and scale. 

At the press conference, Wang Shaoqiang, the vice chairman of the Guangdong Artists Association and director of Guangdong Art Museum, provided an in-depth introduction to this exhibition. The exhibition gathers over 350 works by renowned Lingnan artists from modern to contemporary times, totaling more than 800 pieces. It also spans 19 halls, with a total display length of 3,892 meters and an exhibition area of 20,276 square meters.

Apart from the art exhibition, seven original stage productions from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao will be showcased, including dance dramas, Cantonese opera, ballet, acrobatic theatre, drama, and multimedia puppet shows. The GBA cultural week will also present intangible cultural heritage performances, such as lion dances and Yingge drum shows, in various venues, commercial districts, and cultural education spaces across Shanghai. These performances allow audiences to experience the cultural genes and innovative explorations of the Greater Bay Area.