The First Jinan International Biennale will be held on Dec 13 in Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, according to local officials.

The event will display 596 works by 378 artists from more than 30 countries including the United States, Germany, South Korea, Japan, Australia and Congo.

The works going on display include European-style oil paintings, traditional Chinese ink paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures and videos.

Hosted by the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Jinan municipal government, the event will feature an art exhibition with the most works, the largest scale and the highest level of quality in Shandong in recent years.

The event will play a vital role in promoting international cultural exchanges and mutual learning among different countries, official said.

Jinan was approved to be the permanent host city for the biennale from 2020. This year's event will last for three months and open free to the public at the Shandong Art Museum and the Jinan Art Museum.