Report on Shanghai Festival 2005
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ATO: International Artist Managers' Association (IAMA)
Partners: British Council, Shanghai; Centre for China Shanghai International Arts Festival; Arts Council England, SE.
1. Overview:
Following the success of the outward mission to Shanghai in 2004, a repeat visit was carried out in October 2005 but this time the delegation included representatives from the Arts Council of England who couldn't be accommodated under the SESA rules. The mission size was also increased through the inclusion of other performing arts disciplines such as dance and drama which had not been represented during the previous visit.
This type of mission would not have been possible without the Shanghai Festival acting as host. They not only planned the Festival Forum but also gave all the delegates opportunities to meet people, provided the food and included social activities that would have been impossible to arrange from London. They also recruited many Chinese & international promoters to attend the Festival Fair and encouraged meetings to take place. Thanks must go to Wei Zhi, Vice-President of the Festival Forum for all her work and that of her staff too. A special registration fee of US$200 was offered by the Festival to all delegates due to their membership links with IAMA and their commitment to encouraging UK companies to know more about the Chinese performing arts market.
The role of the British Council in Shanghai was invaluable not only in connecting with all the delegates personally but providing vital information to them about the performing arts companies in Shanghai. The Director, Jeff Streeter, and in particular Deputy Director, Jim Hollington, are to be thanked for outstanding support and quality of service to the delegation. Their work was well complimented by the very able and accommodating staff members. Many things would not have been possible without them. Thanks also go to the British Council for hosting a reception on the last evening as well as co-financing it.
UK Trade and Investment was fundamental in underpinning the outward mission not only for the delegates but also providing some funds for a stand at the Trade Fair and a reception on 21 October. Their representatives Gwen Green in London, Quo Qingling and Andrew McAlister in Shanghai were enormously supportive and greatly assisted the efforts of what we are trying to achieve with an opportunity of this nature.
For IAMA, it was a particularly satisfying experience with an award being presented by the Festival in recognition of the Association's work toward bringing companies to the Festival and acting as a bridge between UK and Chinese performing arts groups over the past two years. The profile of the Association was significantly raised this year not to mention the numerous Shanghai television interviews and press reports.
2. Delegates and recruitment:
Again, a range of delegates representing the performing arts participated. Some were not UKTI supported but chose to take advantage of the trade mission structure. The disciplines included music, dance, drama, contemporary crossover, publishers and artist managements. The list of delegates included:
Atholl Swainston-Harrison, Chief Executive, IAMA (ATO)
Stephen Carpenter, Chief Executive: City of London Sinfonia (Music)
Serena Evans, Manager Tours and Projects, Intermusica Artist Management Ltd. (artist management and UKTI supported)
Lorna Neil, Director, Music Inter Alia, (artist management company and UKTI supported)
Claire Raftery, Periplum (drama and UKTI supported)
Patrick Garvey, Director, Patrick Garvey Management Ltd. (artist management and UKTI supported)
Jonathan Brett, Artistic Director, English Classical Players (music and UKTI supported)
Sharon Zhu, Boosey & Hawkes (music publisher and UKTI supported)
Ole Baekhoej, Gabrieli Consort & Players (music and UKTI supported)
Jeremy Goldstein and Rose English, London Artists Project Ltd (cross-over performing arts and UKTI supported)
Maria Pattinson-Young, Director, Theatre and Beyond (drama and UKTI supported)
Simon Chatterton, Producer (drama and UKTI supported)
Corrine Bougaard, Artistic Director and Anette Telesford, Bookings manager, Union Dance
Rachel Tackley, Director, English Touring Theatre (drama)
Ron McAllister, Director, South Hill Park Arts Centre (festival and Arts Council supported)
Rachel Ball, Arts Council of England (Arts Council supported)
Guy Morley, Artistic Director, Brighton Dome and Festival (festival and Arts Council supported)
All companies may be described as new to market with one third new to export.
3. Sequence of events:
3.1. Briefing sessions
As China is a new trade partner for most, a briefing session took place in advance of the trip to talk through the issues and expectations of the delegates.
There were two briefing sessions:
London, Thursday 6 October to which the London based delegates attended and a further session in Brighton at the Arts Council held on 12 October for those living in the region.
Both these sessions concentrated on addressing questions that the delegates had.
Very helpful preparatory notes were circulated by UKTI which also became a further resource of information for the delegates.
3.2. Schedule
3.2.1. Monday, 17 October
Most delegates arrived in time for morning registration at the famous Jin Jiang Hotel in downtown Shanghai which was followed by a welcome dinner in the Grand Ballroom for all delegates - an historic place where President Nixon signed the China-US communiqué in the early 1970's.
This was followed by a street performance opening ceremony in the spectacular setting of countless new skyscrapers.
Needless to say it was a relatively early night for most given the time zone change.
3.2.2. Tuesday, 18 October
After a promotional showcase of Chinese traditional sino-pop, the Festival conference began with attendance from over 200 companies including promoters and Chinese performing arts groups. The international attendance from the surrounding countries was particularly striking since they are seldom represented at European or American conferences.
After a number of addresses and speeches, an early lunch was held at the Jade Garden Restaurant nearby and all UK delegates were given a separate room in which to meet and have lunch with a further briefing session being provided by two staff members of the British Council in Shanghai. Perspectives on Chinese performing arts groups were given and tips on how to approach business in China.
Delegates then departed for either the Museum in Shanghai on People's Park or for the Oriental Art Centre where an opening performance of a new contemporary work called Muellan-Han was presented. This was a joint production between the Shanghai Dance Company and the Sydney Dance Company which yielded interesting results and was clearly designed as a commercial export production.
This was followed by a performance of Rossini's Barber of Seville in the Shanghai Grand Theatre at 19:30. It was again a co-production with Shanghai Opera and Rome Opera who supplied sets, principle singers and artistic direction. The Orchestra was the resident Shanghai Symphony orchestra.
3.2.3 Wednesday, 19 October
A bus took all delegates to the festival trade fair at the famous Shanghai Exhibition Centre - a building with distinct Soviet design roots and similar to other Soviet "gifts" to other favoured cities in bygone days. Apart from the UKTI sponsored stand, the British Council and Brighton Festival also participated in the trade fair. This helped to create a good impression on an audience that appears impressed with spectacle and presentation. Many of those passing stopped to find out more and the British Council staff members were helpful with any translation issues. Press coverage included several interviews including the Shanghai daily papers, and Shanghai television featured the Festival on news bulletins. Throughout the afternoon there were also promotional showcases from an international array of performers.
After lunch at the Exhibition centre, a China - UK and a China Europe seminar was held with speakers selected by IAMA, Festival and British Council. The Festival kindly granted space in the programme to hold a discussion on views of doing business in China and presented delegates with a rare opportunity to hear Chinese mangers give their perspective on the scene. According to Bei Zhaojian, a senior Foreign Affairs official in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Shanghai has 177 venues, 103 performing agencies, 1500 calligraphy and video companies and 23 China-Foreign distributors. 394 foreign performance companies include Shanghai on their touring circuit and audiences now enjoy a better understanding of the performing arts. Cultural communications are improving and there is an increasing appetite for a greater variety of performance genre.
The panel session consisted of the following members some of whom were UKTI supported. Jim Hollington of the British Council moderated the session. More Chinese promoters attended this session than in 2004.
Serena Evans (Intermusica) presented aspects to touring in China with the recent success of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra which opened the renovated Shanghai Concert Hall on People's Square in December 2004.
Garry McQuinn (Back Row Productions) had recently mounted a very successful touring musical called "Burn the Floor" which had been well received all over the world including in Shanghai. He presented the audience with practical advice in touring and contractual negotiation tips which were invaluable to the outsider wanting to do business.
Jeremy Goldstein and Rose English (London Artists Project Ltd) presented a new project that involved a collaboration with Chinese performers and Liverpool Capital of Culture 2008. This involved looking at artistic aspects of presentation supported by audio-visual aids.
Wang Jingbo is General Manager of Shanghai Majestic Performance Management, one of the most important groups of venues in the city. He gave an overview of his company.
Guy Morley is Artistic Director of the Brighton Dome and Festival who spoke about the perspective of a Festival in Britain and the inclusion of Chinese art in festival programming.
Corrine Bougaard, Artistic Director, Union Dance represented the Dance sector's interests in touring China and the practical requirements for medial understanding and assistance around a performance situation.
Yu Rongjun is Marketing Manager of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre who presented an astonishing programme of activity leading up to the World Expo planned for 2010 in Shanghai. As well as being involved in this, he is also an award winning Chinese playwright.
After the seminar, which overran it's time, delegates departed for a boat trip on the Huangpu River which included a substantial dinner and a great ice-breaker for conversations.
3.2.4. Thursday 20 October
Delegates returned to the Shanghai Exhibition Centre for further promotional showcases and meetings before breaking for lunch and an opening ceremony and exhibition in the Shanghai Urban Planning building on People's Square. This exhibition presented photographs of Chinese life in Shanghai since the early 1800's up until the present day. This would have been unthinkable a few years ago and clearly the interest shown from the visitors supported the view that there is great interest in the historic timeline and future of the city.
After lunch, meetings continued in the Exhibition hall with some delegates making private appointments with promoters in Shanghai.
Dinner was in the Ji Ke De Restaurant and performance at the Majestic Theatre. The British Council also invited a number of delegates to a new production of Shaolin Kungfu presented in a more entertaining and commercial style for public consumption. The promoter was keen to export this to Britain and it is an example of the sort of entrepreneurship that one now comes across.
3.2.5. Friday 21 October
Although the Festival programming continued, IAMA felt that it would be useful for delegates who were unfamiliar with the venue situation in Shanghai to undertake a day-long tour and meet with senior managements.
The venues visited were:
He Lu Ting Concert Hall at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music
Shanghai Concert Hall
Shanghai Grand Theatre
Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre
Lyceum Theatre
Majestic Theatre
The day was rounded off with a party hosted by the British Council in their offices and who also sponsored the drinks and acrobatic presentation of a local troupe. UKTI were the main sponsors of the event and representatives were in attendance.
This evening worked particularly well with well over 80 guests in attendance and local promoters who were familiar to the British Council by way of their work around and in Shanghai. Interpreters were also supplied by the British Council who greatly assisted the rather vigorous discourse which ensued over the entire evening. Delegates reported that many useful contacts were made during this event to which over 80 people attended.
3.2.6. Saturday 22 October
The official Festival Forum programme had ended by this day but those who remained were hosted by the city of Tongli - an ancient water town about 90 minutes drive out of Shanghai in the Yunnan province. Delegates were treated to lunch and more networking opportunities.
The day was rounded off by an introduction to Chinese cooking, writing and ceramics or a concert by the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra at the Oriental Arts Centre.
4. Conclusion
With the demise of the SESA scheme for seminars, there are no further plans to take UK performing arts companies out to China. Given the track record and models that have been designed to help UK export, it seems a pity that this will not be repeated. There could well be support from the British Council, performing arts associations, as well as venues and hosts in China to not only continue this scheme but expand any future visit to include Beijing, and other fast-developing Chinese centres. Our recommendation to UKTI, who form the backbone of financial support for such events, is to engage in a discussion for such a mission to be undertaken in October 2007. This will allow sufficient time for planning and recruitment.
IAMA would like to thank all those people and partner organisations for making this a success.
Included below are quotes from some of the delegates recently received:
"Thanks for all your excellent help in connection with this Shanghai Mission. It has been a very positive experience for me and the help both from IAMA, British Council/Art Council and UKTI has been very valuable. I have recently decided to work directly with promoters in more markets - rather than via an agency - and this means I need to find ways to establish more personal contacts in these markets. Therefore this sort of possibility fits very well in my planning". Ole Baekhoej, Gabrieli Consort
"I wanted to write to thank you for all your help and support in China. It was a fantastic trip and I know all the South East delegates got a lot out of the experience. Since I have got back in Brighton, I have already had the opportunity to meet with the Head of International Business for Asia Pacific at SEEDA to discuss future projects and exchanges. He was very excited about the opportunities. It is wonderful to be able to put what I learnt into action so quickly." Rebecca Ball, Arts Council
"Just a word of thanks from me for the support and set-up of the recent Shanghai trip. Serena had a fantastic and extremely productive time and whilst I was sad myself not to be there, I am very pleased that we had someone on the trip. I'll be in Shanghai myself at the end of the next month, so well placed to follow up on lots of new ideas. Thanks again to you and your team." Peter Savory, Intermusica
Shanghai Festival Management
Middle to right: Vice President, Mdm Wei Zhi and Chen Chiang, Director is International Programming.