UK Selection for the 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

Invitation to UK-Based Professional Artists and Companies

Applications are now open for the UK Selection for the 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

Where: London, Shanghai

When: October 2026

Deadline for applications: 20 August 2026

The 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF) invites applications from professional artists, dance companies, choreographers and interdisciplinary practitioners based in the United Kingdom.

As one of Asia’s leading international arts festivals, the China Shanghai International Arts Festival presents outstanding contemporary artistic work from around the world while fostering international collaboration, cultural exchange and the development of new artistic voices.

This UK call forms part of the Festival’s international selection process and offers UK-based artists and companies the opportunity to introduce their work to one of China’s most significant international cultural platforms. Outstanding projects may be recommended for presentation within the Festival, including programmes such as the Young Talents Programme and Rising Artists’ Works (R.A.W.!), subject to the Festival’s final curatorial and programming decisions.

Applications are welcomed from artists working across dance, theatre, live performance, visual arts, installation, film, moving image, digital media and interdisciplinary practice.

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2026 Curatorial Focus

For the 2026 edition, the Festival particularly welcomes artistic projects responding to two curatorial themes:

Art & Technology

We are interested in projects that explore new relationships between artistic practice and technology, including artificial intelligence, robotics, digital media, immersive environments, interactive systems, creative coding, projection, sound technologies and other emerging forms of interdisciplinary innovation.

Art & Wellbeing

We also welcome projects investigating embodiment, movement, healing, identity, emotional experience, memory, community engagement and socially engaged artistic practice. We are particularly interested in work that considers how contemporary artistic practice can foster dialogue, connection and wellbeing through performance, visual art and interdisciplinary collaboration.

How to apply / register:
Your application should include:

 Artist or Company Information
     Artist or company name
     Short biography
     Website and/or social media (if available)
     Contact details
 Project Information
    Title of the work
    Artistic discipline
    Running time
    Short project description (approximately 300–500 words)
    Artistic statement
Supporting Materials
     Full-length performance video or work sample (Vimeo, YouTube or downloadable link)
     Production photographs (3–5 images)
     Previous reviews, press coverage or portfolio (optional)
     Technical Information
     Technical requirements (lighting, sound, projection, staging, etc.)
     Cast and creative team
     Touring requirements (if applicable)
     Additional Information
    Previous presentation history of the work (if applicable)
    Availability for presentation in Shanghai in October 2026

Please send all materials as PDF documents and downloadable links.

Contact details: email: tianyiliee@gmail.com

For further information, please visit https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IVOZ5CeCfFfQ2yweLVkscw

For more OPEN CALLS, please visit https://dancingopportunities.com/category/open-calls/