The second cultural consumption season for the benefit of local residents kicked off recently in Tai'an, Shandong province, aiming to raise public awareness of cultural consumption and promote the upgrading of the structure of cultural consumption.

Jointly organized by the city's propaganda department, and the bureau of culture, radio, film, television, press and publication, the event is constituted of seven types of activities and adopts an operation system of "a coupon, a platform, an area, a store, a demonstration unit".

Three million yuan ($434,814.33) of special funds were provided by the Tai'an government for the organization, promotion, and coupon issuing of the event.

The event, that started in July, will run until October.

The seven types of activities:

1. Art performances

Various art performances, including films and teleplays, dramas and operas,  and musicals, will be on show across Tai'an city.

2. Displays of cultural and creative industries

Exhibitions of cultural and creative products, cultural creative experience classes, exhibitions and performances of Tai'an's intangible cultural heritages, as well as trade fairs of the cultural artworks will be organized for the public.

3. Intangible cultural heritage experience

This will include the display and promotion of traditional crafts, and the on-site demonstrations of the intangible cultural heritages of Tai'an, such as traditional dramas, folk arts, traditional sports and fine arts.

4. Exhibitions of art works

There are various exhibitions of art works during this event, including exhibitions of traditional Chinese paints, oil paints, sculptures, and photography, as well as promotion activities of fine arts, public art classes, and experience activities of cultural creative fine arts.

5. Themed cultural experience

This round of activities features cultural lectures and forums, creative group physical exercise, and book sales.

6. All-for-one tourism

The event will integrate all the cultural tourism resources of Tai'an, develop cultural tour routes, and organize culture-themed tourism activities.

7. Humanistic quality improvement

Cultural and artistic knowledge lectures and forums of diversified forms, including reciting of Chinese classics and appreciation of the verses, ditties, odes and songs, will be held to improve the public's humanistic qualities.

The operation system of "a coupon, a platform, an area, a store, a demonstration unit":

1. A coupon

The government-funded cultural consumption coupon, with a face value ranging from 10 yuan to 200 yuan, will be released through the Shandong cultural consumption information service platform, which is a way of letting consumers lead consumption and improve the government's financial support. The coupon is mainly used for the cultural performances, and can be also used on films and teleplays, culture-themed tourism, cultural creative products, public art classes and physical exercise.

2. A platform

The platform refers to the Shandong cultural consumption information service platform, releasing cultural activities information, issuing cultural consumption coupons, and collecting cultural consumption data.

3. An area

The cultural consumption gathering area, where gathers high-quality cultural products and interactive experience projects, focuses on the cultural consumption marketing activities to promote the large-scale, intensive and standardized development of the cultural consumption.

4. A store

The cultural product sales exhibition (unmanned) store is built surrounding the post offices and commercial complexes throughout Tai'an city to facilitate the public cultural consumption.

5. A demonstration unit

The event will promote the establishment of the cultural consumption demonstration counties of Tai'an to improve the operation system of cultural consumption.