The first Gallery Weekend Beijing, involving top art galleries and institutions in the Chinese capital, began on Friday. It aims to make the city's voice heard in the art world and offer collectors from different countries a platform ahead of the Art Basel fair to be held in Hong Kong from Thursday to Saturday.

Some 14 galleries and four private museums participated in the Beijing event, which was being organized by German artist Thomas Eller. Most of the attendees are from the 798 art zone that houses the city's major galleries and art institutions, including Pace Beijing, Galleria Continua, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art and M. Woods Museum.

The exhibitions, featuring prominent Chinese artists, opened for public viewing on Saturday, with the first day mainly reserved for collectors. Although the main events concluded on Sunday, many of the exhibitions will continue in the coming months.

Eller's Beijing model is based on Berlin's Gallery Weekend, which was established in 2004 in a bid to attract international collectors by creating an intimate alternative to large-scale art fairs.

He talked to many gallery owners in Beijing last year and got their support. The Gallery Weekend Beijing was attended by about 400 collectors, curators and museum directors from home and abroad over the first three days. The event also included lectures by artists, curators and critics held for the public on Saturday.

Jia Wei, co-partner of Boers-Li Gallery and a participant, says it is necessary for members of Beijing's art circle to come together to make such a successful event in the long run.

In November, Shanghai held several art fairs in a short time and brought world attention to contemporary Chinese art.

Art Basel is held in Hong Kong in March every year, and has become an important event for many collectors worldwide.

But for Beijing, a city where most Chinese artists live, the majority of galleries and auction houses have seldom jointly held an influential art event, Jia says.

"We (galleries) used to do the art business separately. It is good and right for all of us to do things together and for the same goal," she says.

Eller says at Gallery Weekend events, collectors can connect better with artists by talking to them after visiting their solo shows.

"At least we have to give collectors a good reason for their decision to visit such events," he adds.