Mapping China: Performing Arts - Multi-Genre Festivals, Venues, Residencies

As China’s economy changes and grows, venues and festivals follow suit. Below is a selection of some of the most active multi-genre venues, festivals and other resources in certain cities. Given the scope and scale of the country, this is not an exhaustive list. It should serve as a starting point for information resources.

• China Residencies:

Resource for visual art, performing arts, and other creative residencies in cities throughout China

http://www.chinaresidencies.com/

• Beijing

Meet in Beijing Festival: Annual large-scale festival under Beijing’s Municipal Bureau of Culture. Often works with international governments for specific regional focus.

http://www.meetinbeijing.org.cn/

http://www.chinaculture.org/2015meetinbeijing.html

National Centre for the Performing Arts: Positions itself as China’s most prestigious arts center. Claims to operate without or with minimal government funding, but that is of questionable veracity. Organizes annual international dance festival, opera festival, orchestra festival, chorus festival, and most recently an international theatre festival was added in 2015.

http://www.chncpa.org/

Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre: Beijing’s newest art center, opened fall of 2015. Positioning itself as focused on curating more “popular” and “mainstream / commercial” programming in order to distinguish itself from NCPA’s “high art.” Opening season included “Phantom of the Opera” as well as contemporary theatre performances. Also developing programs to support young / emerging artist residencies. Funding system is an example of new trend in China for commercial-government hybrids; founding investors are the semi-private Beijing Financial Street Investment Co., Ltd. as well as the Ministry of Culture-operated China Arts and Entertainment Group. http://www.tartscenter.com/

Tianqiao Theatre: Home of National Ballet of China. Presents primarily dance, dance competitions, as well as other programming. http://www.tianqiaojuyuan.com/

Inside-Out Theatre and arts complex: Unique comprehensive art complex in Beijing’s western Haidian district. Compound includes a theatre, an art gallery, a Cineplex, as well as residency facilities for visual and performing artists. Very interested in international programming and collaborations, especially considering its unique location far from the more commercially developed eastern part of the city.

 http://zhongjianjuchang.com/

Penghao Theatre: China’s leading small theatre, founded by a dentist. Co-founded Nanluoguxiang Arts Festival. Has also hosted LGBT Arts Festivals. http://www.penghaotheatre.com/

Beijing Nanluoguxiang Arts Festival:

http://www.penghaotheatre.com/news_show/518.html

http://culture.ifeng.com/a/20160120/47159946_0.shtml

https://www.facebook.com/NLGXPAF/

https://www.douban.com/event/26176448/

http://lucedesign.net/7318

77 Theatre in the C&C Park: 

http://www.dezeen.com/2014/05/25/theatreprinting-factory-beijing-by-origin-architect/

Meridian Space: http://www.meridian-online.com/about-us/

Drum Tower West Theatre: http://www.gulouxi.org/en/about/

Star Theatre: http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2011-03/07/content_12135876.htm 、http://www.fanxingchina.com/fxjc/&pmcId=31.html

China National Children’s Theatre: Founded in 1956 directly under China’s Ministry of Culture. It is both a presenting and producing organization.  http://www.cntc.org.cn/en_index.asp

Beijing’s Independent, multi-disciplinary arts spaces continue to grow. Please visit “Independent Art Spaces Beijing” for more selected listings and information: http://www.iasbeijing.org/?mc_cid=169211e3eb&mc_eid=9c72a89e0b

• Guangzhou

Guangzhou Opera House: http://gzdjy.org/

Guangzhou International Arts Fair: Still primarily a large government-run festival. In recent years has made efforts to become more independent and contemporary, with limited results.

Guangdong Dance School: Founded in 1959. Home of first modern dance training program in China (see Brief History of Modern Dance). http://www.gd-dance.cn/gz/

Guangzhou Dramatic Arts Center, No. 13 Theatre: Presents mix of its own new theatre productions as well as Chinese contemporary drama touring from other cities. Also works with local Embassies and Consulates to present international theatre. Has its own production shop to make scenery. Runs workshops in stage set design and production as well as acting etc. http://www.gzhj13.com/

• Shanghai:

Shanghai Grand Theatre: Opened in 1998. http://www.shgtheatre.com/main.jsp

Shanghai Oriental Arts Center: Opened in 2005. http://en.shoac.com.cn/

Shanghai Culture Square: 2200-seat venue in central Shanghai. Presents musical theater, spoken-word drama, ballet, as well as larger modern dance troupes. Has one of the more sophisticated marketing departments of venues in China. Also hosts salons and mini-conferences, mainly focused on musical theatre. http://www.shculturesquare.com/

Shanghai Theatre Academy: One of the only schools in China to offer a bilingual MA. Frequently invites international teachers for residencies. Partners with the Shanghai International Arts Festival on their RAW program (see General Overview.) Has a 900-seat venue that presents professional as well as student works. http://en.sta.edu.cn/

Shanghai International Arts Festival: Now in its 17th year. Starting in 2012, the Festival came under new leadership and has radically transformed its organization. There are still problems, but the annual Shanghai Performing Arts Fair and Forum which lasts for five days within the context of the two-month festival is one of the leading arts market platforms in China. http://www.artsbird.com/en/

Shanghai Art Theatre: The 1000 seat Shanghai Art Theatre, or Yi Hai theatre, was established in 2001. Presents mainly drama and family programming as well as ballet and Chinese opera forms.

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/directory/shanghai-art-theater  

http://www.idealshanghai.com/venues/1931/

The Art Space for Kids (The A.S.K.): Shanghai’s newest presenting, producing and touring organization founded by Forrina Chen. Started as a festival, now expanding to year-long season. Focused on high-quality, innovative programming for youth and families. http://www.artspaceforkids.com.cn/

Shanghai Children’s Art Theatre: According to the website, SCAT was founded by Madam Soong Ching-Ling and “Shanghai Children's Art Theatre (Saic Motor Roewe Children's Theatre) is part of the China Welfare Institute. The Theatre was officially opened on 1 June 2013, and renovated from the SAIC-GM Pavilion used during the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.”

http://www.shcat.com.cn/

• Shenzhen

Shenzhen Grand Theatre: http://www.szdjy.net/

Shenzhen Nanshan Culture and Sports Center: Opened in 2015. Managed by Shenzhen Municipal Government and JUOOO Commercial Touring Agency. http://www.juooo.com/venue/show/1078#tab_box_01

• Xiamen

Xiamen Tan Ka Kee Theatre (also known as Xiamen Grand Opera Theatre): Presents mainly large-scale popular / commercial works. Also ballet, orchestras, etc.  http://www.xmjgjy.com/

• Suzhou

Suzhou Culture and Art Center: Multi-venue complex, including Cineplex. Home of Suzhou Ballet. http://eng.sscac.com .cn/

• Hangzhou

Hangzhou Theatre (http://www.hzjy.cn/) and Hangzhou Grand Theatre (http://www.hzdjy.com/): Though frequently confused, these are actually two entirely separate and unrelated venues. Hangzhou Theatre was founded in 1978 directly under the Zhejiang Province Bureau of Culture. Hangzhou Grand Theatre, meanwhile, was founded much later under the Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture. The Grand houses multiple venues within the larger complex. Both Hangzhou Theatre and Hangzhou Grand Theatre curate similar mix of genres – classical music, theater, children/family programming, etc. as well as free education and audience outreach events for the community.

Zhejiang Art Museum (ZJAM): Opened in 2009. Although it is an art museum focused on contemporary art, it also has an active programming department that seeks to host film screenings, performances, and other live performance events. Has worked with such artists as Grass Stage from Shanghai (see THEATRE section) among others. Seeking strong partnerships with Consulates and Embassies as programming budgets are limited. http://www.zjam.org.cn/

• Wuzhen

Wuzhen Grand Theatre: http://www.krisyaoartech.com/en/projects/performing-arts-centers/Wuzhen-Theater

• Xi’an

Silk Road International Arts Festival:

http://www.silkroadart.net/en/index.aspx

http://www.siluyishujie.com/en/index.aspx

Fang Suo Book Stores:

There are now three Fang Suo bookstores in China. Although primarily focused on literature, these incredible venues also present small-scale performances and talks. They are a gorgeous new intellectual and creative gem in the cities where they’ve opened, including Chongqing, Chengdu and Guangzhou. Qingdao and Shanghai are in planning stages.

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2015-02/16/content_19606001.htm

http://english.cqnews.net/html/2015-05/13/content_34205440.htm

http://www.aplf.com/en-US/leather-fashion-news-and-blog/news/23106/china-fang-suo-commune-expands-with-a-strategy-of-being-lifestyle-retailer