Top Ten Art Zones in China

Beijing 798 Art Zone

Chinas oldest art district， Beijing 798 Art Zone was established in a deserted factory complex like SOHO in New York City， notable for its concentration of galleries， designers studios， and artistsworkshops as well as boutiques， restaurants and bars. U.S.-based Time magazine once named the 798 Art Zone as one of 22 cultural landmarks of the world largely due to the humanity and spirit it reflects and all the innovative potential it kindles.

M50 Shanghai

M50 on Shanghais Moganshan Road represents one of the earliest creative spaces in Shanghai. Once a deserted textile mill， M50 is now a thriving hub of worldclass galleries， studios， design companies， shops and even music stores. The place has also become a popular venue for top fashion events. Time magazine called it“a fashion landmark of Shanghai” and “a must-see of Shanghai.”

Shanghai Tianzifang

Built in renovated Shikumen， a unique Shanghai architectural style， Tianzifang blends artistic atmosphere and vintage alley flavor. Old workshops now house art galleries， creative shops， artists studios and cafes. With many locals still living in the community， Tianzifang represents Shanghais cordiality and inclusiveness.

Redtory Art and Design Factory

The founding of Guangzhou Cannery in 1956， then Chinas biggest cannery， paved the way for Redtory Art and Design Factory， now the CAD （central art district） of Guangzhous Pearl River New Town. Hearkening to Londons South Bank Center which embraces Tate Modern and the National Theater， Redtory sits in the same neighborhood as Guangdong Provincial Museum and the Guangzhou Opera House. Of course， Redtory still needs some time and development to reach the ranks of its British counterpart.

Caochangdi International Art Village

If 798 is to Beijing as SOHO is to New York City， then Caochangdi aligns with Chelsea Art Galleries. Many artists have already tired of the throngs of tourists visiting 798， now one of Beijings hottest scenic spots， so they left for Caochangdi， a more tranquil venue to work.

Shenzhen Arts Creation Base

The founding of the Shenzhen Arts Creation Base meant a lot to Shenzhen， a young city full of economic clout but lacking artistic and cultural history. In 2006， a group of young artists set up shop in a vacant factory. Although the Base borrowed many concepts from more mature art zones， it still strives to pioneer cultural and artistic orientation for the city， a vanguard of Chinas reform and opening up. Xinyi International Place grew from an abandoned factory and warehouse. Refurbished by real estate agents， it retained the basic structure of the plant but got new doors， windows and walls with modern styles. The political slogans carved on the walls and 83 ancient banyans in the arena remain untouched.

Brewery Art

Beijing Brewery Art， actually built inside an old brewery just like the Los Angeles Brewery， represents the first art zone developed systematically by a private company. Amidst the 2008 global economic crisis， when the contemporary Chinese art market slowed， Brewery Art moved towards creative design over only operating galleries and artistic organizations.

1933 Shanghai

1933 Shanghai has become a mecca for countless arts and fashion lovers as well as a venue for world-class fashion events. The history of the delicate and singular structure， which once was the biggest slaughterhouse in the Far East， designed by renowned British architect James Balfours in 1933， also lured many artists to call it home.

Hong Kong Fotanian Open Studios

After much of the islands industry began migrating to the mainland around 2000， Hong Kongs local artists started setting up studios in the spacious lofts of vacant industrial buildings. Veteran artists and fresh art school graduates alike immerse themselves in creative industries ranging from drawing， sculpting， and photography to digital media and performance. Fotanian Open Studio Program is a major annual event in local art circles.