A Better Waterfront inspires Zhujiajiao Art Season

The 2025 Zhujiajiao International Art Season opened on Aug 18 in the ancient town of Zhujiajiao, Qingpu district, bringing together young artists from China, France, the United Kingdom, and beyond.

The event also featured the awards ceremony of the 2025 Zhujiajiao International Youth Ink Art Competition, which displayed works from children around the world, all centered around the theme of A Better Waterfront.

A standout piece was The Five Lakes of Qingpu, a 10-meter-long collaborative ink scroll created by local primary school students. The artwork captures the distinct charms of Dianshan, Yuandang, Dalian, and Xiayang lakes, blending their vastness, tranquility, wildness, and elegance into one scene.

The competition employed a dual-track approach, with a "Present Group" envisioning life by the waterfront in 2025 and a "Future Group" imagining a tech-driven lifestyle in 2035. From 3,500 submissions, 210 outstanding works were selected. Award-winning pieces will go on display in Paris and London from Aug 19 to Sept 10.

Alongside the art season, the Zhujiajiao Ancient Town Immersive Culture Season has also kicked off, offering daily hands-on experiences with Jiangnan-style handicrafts like sachet-making and mirror design, along with AI-driven activities such as interactive robots at the century-old Qing Post Office. The Qingcheng Band will also perform live at the waterfront, turning the town’s scenery into a natural stage.

"Art becomes a common ground that transcends borders," said French artist Cecile Brigand. “Through creative dialogue, children learn to see differently, listen to others, and together imagine a better world.”