Peking opera performers take part in a decorated vehicle parade as a celebration for the Chinese New Year in London, Feb 22, 2015.
The China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange has been going on throughout 2015, during which the countries have exchanged cultural seasons to showcase the diversity and creativity of each.
The British Cultural Season opened during the visit of the Duke of Cambridge to China in March. The duke added a final touch to a Shaun the Sheep sculpture in a traditional eye-dotting ceremony. With more than 30 creative and cross-boundary modern arts programs, the season offers the Chinese audience rich and diversified experiences of contemporary cultural and creative development of the UK.
The Chinese Culture Season, themed Creative China, launched in the UK in August, presenting Chinese culture and creativity to the British public. Outstanding artists and art troupes visited the UK to participate in world-renowned programs at Shakespeare's Globe, Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and more shows and activities will be rolled out until December.
In addition, direct dialogues and cooperation between Chinese and British cultural institutions, art societies and artists ensure and greatly foster the advancement of China-UK cultural relations.
Let's take a glimpse at the 10 highlights of China-UK Year.
In March, Prince William visited China and officially launched the UK Cultural Season. In addition to meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, extending Queen's invitation for Xi to visit the UK, he also embarked on cultural tour.
Prince William started his tour by adding the finishing touches to a TV cartoon character Shaun the Sheep in Beijing, which marked the curtain-up of the UK Culture Season.
During his three-day visit, the prince visited the Shijia Hutong Museum in Beijing, a museum in the courtyard house restored by the Prince of Wales's China Foundation and The Prince's Foundation for Building Communities, followed by a quick trip to the Forbidden City.
Prince William attended a campaign held in the Long Museum to showcase British creativity and innovation in entertainment, design, healthcare and fashion. The final stop was Xishuangbanna in Southwest China's Yunnan province where he visited an elephant rehabilitation center and a nature reserve.
A poster and scenes from Ulysses, a UK-China co-production staged in Beijing.
2. China-UK Literary Theatre Exchange project
As a part of the China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange, the China-UK Literary Theatre Exchange project kicked off on March 27. Organized by Xinchan Theater in Beijing and the British Council, seven works, including Ulysses, A Journey Round James Joyce and Turn of the Screw had been staged or will be staged by Sino-British artists.
Among the shows, Ulysses was highly praised by the Chinese audience. Written by James Joyce, it is one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. Adapted for the stage and performed by Tron Theatre, it conveys the spirit of the original with a remarkable lightness of touch.
3. Free approach to the Edinburgh Forest Fringe
Launched at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007, Forest Fringe builds bridges between audiences and performers to enable exciting, improbable and spectacular things to happen.
From June 27 to July 9, a collective-based approach to arts included activities such as world dance, independent art exhibitions, grassroots creative projects and more opened to the public in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing for free. Independent artists brought their works of performance art, including Tim Etchell's Remote Collaboration, Andy Field's Incidental Plays and Neil Callaghan and Simone Kenyon's One.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe dates back to 1947 when it was an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival. It has since grown into one of the world’s largest arts festival, lasting more than 20 days every August.
The UK music on the Go project has become very popular in the six metropolises in China.
4. UK Music on the Go
From May 18 to July 18, the UK music on the Go project was launched in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan and Chongqing. Co-sponsored by the Cultural and Education Section of British Embassy as well as JCDecaux bus, the project was aimed to promote British pop music in China.
During the period, interactive QR codes on buses across the six metropolises allowed audiences to hear the best of British music on the move with The Selector, and won tickets to the hottest music festivals in the UK. Broadcasting on radio stations, The Selector featured interviews, mixes and exclusive live sessions from some of the most exciting British music artists.
Photos from exhibitions during the British Cultural Season.
5. Photography exhibitions around China
During the British Cultural Season, several photography exhibitions were held in different cities in China. Among them, "New British Inventors: Inside Heatherwick Studio" exhibition, documenting 50 years of British life, offers a window into the London-based practice, Heatherwick Studio, and features 1:1 scale prototypes, test pieces, drawings and photographs, providing a fascinating insight into the studio's exploration of new ideas and techniques.
World famous contemporary artist Martin Parr also held an exhibition on the unexplored history of Chinese photobooks in London and Beijing. This exhibition, named "The Chinese Photobook", combined a rare collection of original publications with materials mounted and projected on walls, and explored China's modern history.
From May to September, British-Chinese photographer Yan Preston reconnected with her motherland through China's most iconic waterway, the Yangtze River. Following a five-year development with images taken at 63 equidistant points along the river, Mother River, a remarkable exhibition brought to life the river's diverse scenery and communities.
The National Theatre of China brings Chinese-language play Richard III to the Globe Theatre in London.
