Award-winning Canadian pianist and vocalist, Laila Biali, who will have a concert at the National Center for the Performing Arts on May 21. [Photo/meetinbeijing.org.cn]

Meet in Beijing Arts Festival is a large-scale international festival hosted by China’s Ministry of Culture, Beijing Municipality Government and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. The Festival was inaugurated in 2000 and held annually from late April to the end of May.

In May 2000, Meet in Beijing Arts Festival made its debut and attracted 38 groups of artists, large and small, from 24 countries around the world. These artists offered the audience of Beijing, as well as other parts of China, 109 stage performances, 6 outdoor shows and 6 art exhibitions.

With the principle of spreading Chinese traditional culture, introducing the essence of overseas arts as well as promoting cultural exchanges between China and the other parts of the world, Meet in Beijing Arts Festival has established itself as China’s national-level artistic activity and topped its Asian competitors. Now it has turned into Beijing’s famous cultural brand.

In an effort to further promote Chinese traditional culture and bring the best of foreign performing arts and other visual arts into China, Meet in Beijing Arts Festival will be held for a designated period of time each year with different themes. It will provide a stage for both Chinese artists and foreign artists. People will see the combination of indoor and outdoor, professional and amateur performances, catering to both the highbrow, the traditional and popular tastes.

After 15 successive sessions, Meet in Beijing has developed into a comprehensive international arts festival that has presented diverse and fabulous cultures and arts through performances by more than 30,000 artists and 1,000 art troupes from 115 countries and regions to over 4 million Chinese audience.

Every year, there is one country to be chosen as the featured country and its most well known classic performance will be shown at the opening ceremony. Russia, Mexico, Australia and United States are among previous featured countries. It is the turn of Canada in 2016.

This spring, more than 400 artists from 25 countries will join 400 Chinese performers to stage more than 100 performances and two theme exhibitions in Beijing.

Contact:

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

Organizing Committee Office of Meet in Beijing Arts Festival

Website: http://www.cpaa.com.cn/

Address: N0. 10, Chaoyangmen North Street, Beijing 100020 P.R. China