China-art.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
China's newly established arts-dedicated fund is set to award grants amounting to 429 million yuan ($70 million) for art projects in the country, according to a Global Times report.
The China National Arts Fund (CNAF), only in its first year, will dedicate the funds to 394 projects in the fields of stage production; painting, calligraphy and photography; communication and exchange; and talent cultivation, according to a report by the fund published on Wednesday.
The fund is part of an effort by the government to step up the cultural influence of China locally and on the world stage.
Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for more artistic activities that are both excellent and morally inspiring.
He described the arts and culture as playing a vital role in the realization of the Chinese aspiration for the rekindling of national identity.
A big portion of the fund, 230 million yuan, will be devoted to performing arts such as musicals, dramas, children's plays and traditional local operas.
The CNAF received applications for grants from June 1 to August 1, and the winners among which will be announced by the end of the year.
One in every 10 of the applications will be awarded.
Zhao Shaohua, CNAF vice director-general, said that among the entries, more than 70 works that include songs, photography, traditional operas and stage plays were influenced by the theme of "Chinese dream."
"Art project winning this year's fund will feature rich thoughts, high artistic values and are easy to enjoy, and a special focus is on those targeting grassroots people and the remote, impoverished and ethnic regions," said Huang Jiayu, director of the CNAF.
