Zhang Yu, president of the China Arts and Entertainment Group, talks about this year’s festival at the press conference in Beijing on April 7, 2016. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

The month-long event will raise the curtain on April 25 with a Spring in China and Canada concert. Chinese artists will perform together with famous Canadian artists such as the Buzz Brass Quintet, Ottawa Bach Choir, Soprano Katherine Whyte and GOH Ballet at the National Center for the Performing Arts.

According to Zhai Deyu, deputy director-general of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations, Chinese Ministry of Culture, the festival sticks to the idea of “promoting culture for the public benefit” and takes “meeting people’s cultural needs and safeguarding their cultural rights and interests” as its code.

A series of practices will be carried out under this code, such as offering tickets at favorable prices, reserving seats for students, absorbing popular elements into the festival, organizing public performances and opening up feedback channels for the public.

The Meet in Beijing Arts Festival is a large-scale international festival hosted by China’s Ministry of Culture, Beijing Municipality Government and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

“After 15 successive sessions, Meet in Beijing has developed into a comprehensive international arts festival that has presented diverse and fabulous cultures and arts through performances by more than 30,000 artists and 1,000 art troupes from 115 countries and regions to over 4 million Chinese audience,” said Zhang Yu, president of the China Arts and Entertainment Group.

The event will run until May 30.