(August 4th, 2022, Shanghai, China) In August 2022, XINTIANDI of Shui On Xintiandi and UCCA are proud announce their partnership to officially launch the “RanRan” Young Artist Incubation Program. The “RanRan” program adopts a collaborative model, aiming to create a three-year strategic cooperation and to build an open platform for young artists that accommodates exploration and innovation. As a mixed-use area in the heart of the city with historical and cultural significance, as well as a strong connection to Shanghai’s urban spirit, the Shanghai Greater Xintiandi area is an experimental field for arts that has long provided a broad and creative platform, and an open and free environment for Chinese young artists to present their works and explore interdisciplinary experimentation. In addition, the “RanRan” program has received support from well-known practitioners in a wide range of fields, including art, business, architecture, academia, and more, who form its professional cultural advisory committee, which will implement the vision and concept of the incubation program, and work together to discover and support young artists.
The first session of the “RanRan” program will work with young artists to explore the diverse aspects of art, help them to achieve more groundbreaking and forward-looking creative practices, and further enhance the public’s cultural curiosity and desire to explore, in order to attract and cultivate more cultural and artistic groups. With a long-term perspective, it aims to build a vibrant public art and culture platform to promote the development of Chinese art in the future.
Exploring a New Paradigm
For many years, XINTIANDI has taken the lead in cultivating new forces in the field of pan-cultural arts, and practicing the concept of “Art Created in China.” Adhering to its original mission, XINTIANDI collaborates with UCCA this time to create the “RanRan” program, named after the powerful image of a blazing bonfire, in order to bring together the power of young artists to ignite the “creative bonfire” of Shanghai. The “rising fire” represents the rising energy of Chinese artistic creativity, promoting a virtuous circle of cultural creation fuelled by the participation of the Chinese people. Inspired by the three key terms of “Chinese Style,” “integration and co-creation,” and “cultural curiosity,” the “RanRan” program focuses on the creative practice of young artists who live and work in China on a long term basis. The program excavates local cultural memories, displays insights and means of expression based on contemporary society, and outlines the creative ecology of a new generation of young Chinese artists,
“RanRan” aims to bring art into the Greater Xintiandi area, explore practices in interdisciplinary fields such as culture, art, and technology, and cultivate the forward-looking power of artistic creativity.
The “RanRan” project is for young artists who have both local awareness and international vision, as well as an experimental attitude, and positions Xintiandi as a creative platform. As Greater Xintiandi is a central area in Shanghai full of the spirit of the city, artists are encouraged to create within its social and cultural context and echo the present as well as depict their imaginings of the future.
A Year-round Art Feast
The first annual cycle of the “RanRan” program is comprised of several phases: youth art awards, artist residency programs, art seasons, and crossover collaborations.
The “Youth Art Award Selection” is open to all themed artworks and proposals from young artists that are in accordance with the competition requirements. The artworks will be judged by the cultural advisory committee, composed of leading figures from a wide range of industries with experience in different practices. The final award-winning artists will also be offered generous prizes and support.
The “Artist Residency Program” focuses on the role of historical memory in urban revitalization, the status of the humanities after community transformation, and avant-garde business innovation practices. By providing funds for residencies, support for local research, assistance, and other resources, we hope to recruit mature artists with creative research capabilities to create a wide range of art. During the residencies, artists will focus on Shanghai’s local culture, urban areas, and mixed-use public space to hone their individual analyses and creative practices. The results of their inspection, research, and creation will be presented to the public in a dynamic and timely manner.
The “Art Season” is a presentation of the annual results of the “RanRan” program. During the nearly two-month art season, works from the shortlisted artists, public art installations, and residency artworks from invited artists will be displayed in different spots in the Shanghai Greater Xintiandi area. Meanwhile, the art season will also feature a series of public cultural events including public art projects, lectures, and performance workshops for artists and urban residents, occurring from the end of one year to the beginning of the next. The “Art Season” will be a review of the creative highlights and achievements from the “RanRan” program of a given year, and also open up a new starting point for the next year’s program with a new level of maturity and influence, deepening the long-term cooperation between XINTIANDI and UCCA.
The “Crossover Collaboration” aims to provide young artists with creative support and a platform for exhibition, as well as a wider range of opportunities for collaboration. The “RanRan” program will help shortlisted artists access potential collaborations and creative resources, and provide support in technical fields such as new media. Furthermore, the artists will be able to explore business cooperation opportunities, such as IP co-creation, art merchandising, commissioned creations, and more.
An Art Incubation Project by Experts
The “RanRan” program has invited influential people across business, art, academia, and other fields to form the “RanRan Cultural Advisory Committee.” The group is committed to providing young artists with a broad and diverse professional perspective in the context of multidisciplinary artistic practices. They shall provide assistance to young artists as they explore a wide range of possibilities.
The “RanRan” program will also extensively document its activities through a matrix of social media platforms and major collaborating media platforms to record the creative thinking and work processes of the participating young artists. Through Vlogs, short documentaries, or in-depth text interviews, more people will be able to can gain an understanding of the artist’s practices and artworks. The “RanRan” program is looking forward to connecting, working, and growing with artists.
In addition, the “RanRan” program will provide young artists with creative support and a platform for exhibition, as well as support in technical fields such as new media. Furthermore, the artists will be able to explore business cooperation opportunities, such as IP co-creation, art merchandising, commissioned creations, and more.
After months of careful preparation, the first “RanRan” session is now ready to start. Focusing on collaboratively creating together with the public, “RanRan” promises to connect audiences with quality artistic content. It is aims to integrate art into life and stimulate the public’s interest in culture and art, inviting them on a journey to discover the artistic creativity of China’s new generation.