A New Window to the Outside World in Baoji: The Baoji Culture and Art Center

On the morning of November 8, the opening ceremony of Baoji Culture and Art Center kicked off in the square of Baoji Cultural and Art Center in Shaanxi Province amid joyous music. It marked the official opening of the newly-built Culture and Art Center to the public, offering a new carrier for enriching the cultural life of the masses and boosting cultural confidence in Baoji.

Niu Yibing, member of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial CPC Committee and head of the Propaganda Department, announced the completion and opening of the Baoji Culture and Art Center. Xu Qifang, vice governor of Shaanxi Province and secretary of Baoji Municipal Party Committee, presided over the opening ceremony, at which Baoji Mayor Xi Jincai delivered a speech. Minister Counsellor Razida Hanim Abdul Razak of the Malaysian Embassy and ambassadors of ASEAN countries to China attended the ceremony.

The Baoji City Culture and Art Center was designed by Cui Kai, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Chinese master architect, with a total investment of 1.58 billion yuan, and a total building area of 101,200 square meters. The Culture and Art Center is a "five-hall-in-one" building, including 5 venues such as the music hall, science and technology hall, group art hall, library and youth activity center.

In his speech, Xi Jincai said that the completion and opening of the Baoji Culture and Art Center will provide a good place for people to better understand the roots and soul of Chinese civilization in Baoji, and a good platform for Baoji culture to display, exchange, create, "go viral, go global and further spread". He also expressed his hope for the whole city to make full use of this good carrier, so as to let the Culture and Art Center become a "front" for the implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech on socialist cultural construction, the "palace" where elegant art spreads, the "engine" that drives cultural industry development, and the "window" through which the city communicates with the outside world. With this carrier putting in place, it can give a strong boost to Baoji cultural development and prosperity, thereby allowing the cultural "soft" power to translate into the driving force of economic development, productivity and core competitiveness. He also hoped that all the guests can strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Baoji to create a bright future for cultural undertakings and industrial development, and thus making greater contributions to the construction of a socialist cultural power.

Liu Rongxian, member of the Standing Committee of Baoji Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor, introduced the project construction of Baoji Cultural and Art Center and the compilation and publications of Baoji Contemporary Most Influential Cultural Personages and  Cultural Celebrities and Baoji.

Participants presented books to representatives of citizens from all walks of life, and awarded licenses to six creative bases of artists, including Taibai Mountain, Guanshan Grassland, Zhou Yuan, Jiucheng Palace, Jintai Academy and Jiulong Mountain.

Afterwards, the guests visited the Baoji Culture and Art Center. (Article provided by Ma Aiping, pictures provided by correspondent Chen Hongwei)