Future artists explore splendor of Chinese culture and charm of Shanghai

Creative works by future artists from the Yangtze River Delta region are now on display at the Jing'an District Culture Center, a program of the 2025 Shanghai Citizens Art Festival.

Titled "Master Start From Here," the exhibition showcases works from the 8th Shanghai Children's Art and Calligraphy Competition. With unpolished innocence as their brush and boundless imagination as their ink, the children depict the life around them, the light and shadow of the city, and the emotional inner world of their hearts.

As a benchmark event in Shanghai's children's art scene, the competition has become an important platform for young artists to display their talents and pursue their passions.

This year, young creators are encouraged to explore the splendor of Eastern culture, draw inspiration from tradition, and use ink and color to express their love for life and their vision for the future.

The event also expanded its influence by inviting works from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, creating a bridge for artistic exchanges among children across the delta region.

The exhibition will run through October 25. A total of 210 pieces of art and 206 calligraphy pieces were selected for display. The entries focus on themes such as traditional Chinese culture, classic poetry, and the spirit of Shanghai, vividly interpreting the richness of the "Artful Oriental" concept through the fresh and playful perspectives of children.

Primary school student Ge Man uses her brush to capture her lifelong home of Anting New Town, in suburban Jiading District, and her views about Shanghai's urban renewal. Xu Mingjun's work uses bright colors like yellow walls and blue doors, and lively lines to portray the distinct charm of longtang, Shanghai's alleyways, revealing both the simplicity of life in the alleys and a child's delicate observations of the city's hidden corners.

Li Aiyi's dragon is unlike any other as she believes the world is colorful, and, therefore the dragon should be, too. She even decorated its tail with fireworks-like patterns, turning it into a dragon bursting with energy.

Middle school student Xu Zihan's work "Dream Party" takes blue as its main color to create a strong sense of technology, turning her vision of the future into a lively party where humans and the universe coexist, making the dream of exploring space tangible and alive.

Wu Penghong, director of the Shanghai Mass Art Center and an organizer of the event, remarked that the show is a celebration of every child's artistic heart. It opens a window for children to see the world and grow through artistic creation.