The Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing is teaming up with Children 100 and popular short-video app Douyin to launch the DOU Art Program, which aims to explore how to use short videos to empower fine arts education and make art and creativity more accessible to children.

At a special seminar held on New Year’s Eve in Beijing jointly hosted by the three parties, professor Zhao Li, deputy dean of the School of Art Management and Education of CAFA, released the latest results from a report on youth fine arts education in the modern era. “The Research Report on the Status Quo of Chinese Teenagers’ Fine Arts Education in the Modern Era.” Zhao said that teenagers have such diversified demands on fine arts education resources that the resources available at schools, art galleries and museums cannot meet their needs. On the other hand, new media like short videos are changing fine arts education and inspiring young kids and teenagers to create and interact.

Zhao believes that combining short videos with family education and school will greatly promote the long-term development of teenagers’ fine arts education and boost deepened reform in academic and family education.

Liu Lin, chief executive of the Children 100 project, said at the seminar that short-video platforms such as Douyin are providing netizens a “stage” where they can show themselves. Liu hopes to see more and more children upload their works onto social media.

Initiated in August 2019, the DOU Art Program aims at encouraging art institutions, artists and art lovers to promote art, communicate and create art works via short-video platforms. On the receiving end, the public is able to get closer to art, appreciate art works and cultivate aesthetic skills while watching the art-related short videos.

Statistics show that as of the end of December last year, art-related videos on Douyin had gained more than 634.4 billion views, of which short videos relating to fine art exceed 81.5 billion views.

(Yang Mei)