CRI听力: Songzhuang and 798 Art Festival Ready to Kick Off

The national holiday is right around the corner. For people who love art, going to Beijing's renowned 798 art district, or to Beijing's Songzhuang art village, may be a good choice. They both plan to hold art festivals during the golden week Holiday. Li Dong has the details.

Reporter: Songzhuang art village has been holding art festivals for five consecutive years. This year's festival has invited more than 1,000 artists from 14 countries and will present more than 30 various themed exhibitions.

In the beginning, Songzhuang art village was just a small village in an eastern Beijing suburb, where just a few artists choose to work and live. Nowadays, Songzhuang village is providing good living and working conditions for many artists from all around China. Yue Luping from Xi'An city is one of them. He and some of his friends rent a 300 square working space with only 2,500 yuan per month.(www.hXen.com)

"Nowadays, we artists from Xi An can be part of Songzhuang. And the director of the local art promotion association also often goes to Xi An. Songzhuang is not only Beijing's Songzhuang, it's the whole country's Songzhuang."

The famous 798 art district is also sparing no efforts in promoting this year's festival. 31 galleries will take part in this year's 798 art festival.

Both art festivals are planning to hold exhibitions especially for young painters. The purpose is to provide these young artists with a platform to show their works. Their works will also be sold at reasonable prices throughout the holiday.

Chen Yongli, the director of the 798 art district construction and managerial office says the coming National Day Holiday is a great opportunity.

"Many tourists from home and abroad will come to Beijing and 798 during the Golden Week. They are going to appreciate the art works and have the opportunity to buy what they like."

Hong Feng is the deputy director of the Songzhuang creativity industry committee. He thinks more outlets will provide more chances to advance the artists' careers.

"Artists from different places in the country can choose Songzhuang or 798. They can share the resources."
So if you are an art fan, or perhaps just want to experience Beijing's art scene, take a visit this national day holiday to either the 798 art district or Beijing's Songzhuang art village.

For China Drive, I'm Li Dong.