Artists from 13 countries have gathered in Northwest China's Qinghai province, as the 10th China International Folk Art Festival was kicked off in the provincial capital of Xining on Monday.

The event, scheduled to last till Aug 13, is jointly hosted by China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the Qinghai provincial government.

Shi Honggang, chair of Xining art theater, said the festival will not only broaden the horizons of the audience in Qinghai, but raise the profile of Qinghai's art.

David Mclaughlin, art director of Ireland Titanic dance theater company, said it is the first time for the company's original dance drama Titanic to be performed in China. The development of art is dependent on the inheritance, exchange and innovation of art lovers, he said.

Launched in 1990 with the approval of the State Council, the festival has been held triennially by CFLAC and a domestic city.