Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

THE 15th Shenzhen Creative December, with a cornucopia of creative activities to be held throughout the month, officially kicked off at OCT Creative Exhibition Center on Friday.

Under the theme of “Creativity Lights up Life,” this year’s Creative December will present a total of 31 key activities ranging from forums and competitions to concerts and performances. Each district and new area will organize a variety of innovative and creative activities as subvenues.

At the opening ceremony, the “Creative Shenzhen” big data were released in a bid to attract more citizens, especially young people, to participate in the cultural celebration.

According to the organizing committee, the 1st Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cultural and Creative Industry Cooperation Forum and Greater Bay Area Cultural Exchange will be held Tuesday.

The forum aims to further explore how to give full play to and mobilize the cultural resources, technology, talents and advantages of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to promote the innovation and integration of cultural and creative industry clusters in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The cultural feast has also been spiced up with an abundance of technological and artistic elements. Highlighted events include a thematic work exhibition of intangible cultural heritage, a forum featuring creativity integration in the digital era, a design competition of creative cultural tourism products and a Creative December award-winning works exhibition.

A number of international exhibitions will also be staged. The 2nd Hakka Impression International Poster Exhibition focuses on the creative power of 19 countries and regions. An ecological art exhibition of works from Belgian designers provokes thought and reorientation toward the ecological environment. The 40th anniversary literature exhibition of Ars Electronica Festival showcases the history of global technology and art.

According to the organizing committee, OCT Creative Carnival will be held to encourage parents and children to revel in the arts and culture. Chinese suites concerts, Futian International Jazz Music Week, traditional folk arts and international musicals will also be staged this month.

Inaugurated in 2005, the month-long cultural event is aimed at boosting the city’s soft power by hosting interactive cultural activities across the city every December.

Initiated by the city government, Creative December is co-organized by Shenzhen Press Group, Shenzhen Media Group, Shenzhen Publishing Group and the Shenzhen Creative and Cultural Center.