New project launched to raise awareness and promote art in Shanghai

Shanghai Huangpu district and the Shanghai Grand Theatre (SGT) art center on July 15 jointly launched a new art education project named Artree which is aimed at introducing art to the public.

Unveiled at the Peace Hotel in Shanghai's downtown area, the project will consist of several installments, with the first scheduled to take place from August to November, said Zhang Ming, president of the SGT art center. This installment will comprise a series of 10 workshops, lectures and concerts featuring the traditional Chinese guqin, a plucked seven-string instrument of the zither family that has a history of more than 2,000 years in China.

This phase of the project will see guqin players in Shanghai collaborate with Chinese painters, poets, Kunqu and Pingtan performers, as well as tea ceremony performers. Participants who are keen about guqin will be awarded opportunities to further experience the art.

In November, Artree plans to hold a flash mob event at the public square in front of the SGT where 100 people will be playing the guqin at the same time.

According to Yu Haihong, head of the publicity department of Huangpu district, this is the latest initiative of the district to promote art and public education in collaboration with SGT art center.