How Guangzhou Cultural Industry Fair has transformed the city’s creative landscape

The Purpose
Guangzhou is focused on building its international reputation and strengthening its vibrant creative industries. Since 2017, it has hosted the Guangzhou Cultural Industry Fair, integrating existing resources and promoting high-quality cultural projects and products.

The Challenge
The Fair is a five-month-long event, covering major cultural sectors: performing arts, radio and television, film, publishing and copyright, animation and gaming, and the music industry. The programme includes an industry summit, film and television performances, a cultural creativity showcase, a cultural tourism forum and other related events. Although initiated by the Government, industry associations are responsible for project coordination.

By 2021, the Fair was marked by the signing of 13 projects, 10 investment and financing projects and 15 investment projects, with an expected cooperation value of 101.6 billion CNY.

The Solution
The Fair is well-attended by stakeholders, including representatives from government agencies, higher education and research institutions, cultural enterprises, international cultural organisations and news media, as well as experts and scholars, social celebrities and industry leaders. The size of the event has grown substantially in just a few years. In 2017, it attracted nearly 1,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries and regions, welcomed one million visitors and resulted in contracts worth two billion CNY. By 2021, the Fair was marked by the signing of 13 projects, 10 investment and financing projects and 15 investment projects, with an expected cooperation value of 101.6 billion CNY.

The Impact
Through the Cultural Industry Fair, Guangzhou has developed a successful trading platform of international influence, as well as enhancing its leading role in the cultural development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. As well as these financial benefits, the Fair has also developed stronger collaborations between academic research and industry bodies, enabling new ideas and initiatives to flourish. The Fair also publishes the top 30 cultural enterprises and top 20 cultural industry clusters, bringing prominence to leading organizations.

Source: World Cities Culture Report 2022

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