Jing'an Turns into an Open-Air Stage This Autumn

For several weeks this autumn, art, light and music are spilling out of galleries and concert halls and into the streets of Jing'an. Light installations, digital projections, and immersive performances in parks, shopping areas, historic neighborhoods, and the Suzhou Creek waterfront are part of cultural programs that run through October.

The first International Audio-Visual Arts Carnival opened September 24 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center and continues through October 18. The program brings together an international exhibition, an immersive performance, industry forums and concerts.

The exhibition featured companies and creative teams working with spatial audio, AI image restoration, extended reality and humanoid robotics. "Audio-Visual Wonderland" combined live actors and physical sets with 3D projection mapping, motion capture and LiDAR to reinterpret traditional Chinese culture through digital technology.

An esports-themed symphonic concert featured music from "League of Legends" and "Honor of Kings." On September 27, composer and conductor Tan Dun led the China National Symphony Orchestra in a classical concert at the Shanghai Exhibition Center's outdoor plaza.

The fourth "Shining Shanghai Light Up Jing'an" International Light Festival, which opened September 19, is turning the district into an evening art trail through October 7. At Jing'an Park, light installations have been woven into the landscape, including a nine-meter "Moon River," an illuminated fish above the lake, and projections along the park's waterfront. More installations extend along Nanjing Road W., including at Zhangyuan Garden and on the façades of commercial buildings.

The festival takes on a different character along Suzhou Creek. At Shenyuli, a historic shikumen complex, works from this year's international light-art competition are being projected onto its buildings. The competition, themed "Metamorphosis," drew 156 entries from 149 artists and teams across 41 countries and regions. Twenty works were shortlisted, with five winning gold, silver or bronze awards. Their themes range from the transformation of the city to the relationship between its past and future.

Two large-scale shows at a nearby waterfront platform feature interactive installations. The area is also hosting events connected with the 2026 Rolex Shanghai Masters, including themed buses, sightseeing cruises and sports-related light displays. The waterfront program runs through October 18.

In the Daning area, the light festival continues through October 16, with illuminated installations at Daning International Plaza and aerial displays over Daning Park, including drone formations and digital signage. The New Tech & Culture Innovation Festival began September 28 in the Nanjing Road W. commercial district and runs through October 7, with Tencent Music Entertainment contributing nearly 100 events. Visitors can grab event wristbands at venues including the Shanghai Exhibition Center, HKRI Taikoo Hui, Jiuguang Department Store, Jing'an Park, and Zhangyuan.

The wristbands provide access to event information and bookings, as well as selected discounts. Consumer vouchers are also available through Jing'an's Culture, Commerce, Tourism, Sports and Exhibitions mini-program.