From tech hub to rising performing arts destination

Polish dancer-actress Natalia Gabrielczyk originally planned to spend just one year in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

She came to the city to perform in The Deal, an immersive physical theater production in Shekou district. Now, she has signed on for a second year.

"I feel like the stories of my characters aren't complete yet," she says.

"There's so much more detail and life experience I can find, which is exciting enough to keep me going for a little longer."

It is the first time she has stayed in one place for this long after spending eight years moving between cities across Europe.

"Life here is very comfortable and sweet," she says.

Offstage, she fills her days with yoga, martial arts, salsa dancing, and rock climbing. In a city where traditions and cultures from different continents intersect, she finds that every new experience feeds back into her art.

"I find the city open and friendly," she observes.

"It's incredible how many varieties of things there are — food, experiences and shows. There's so much to choose from. It feels very approachable."

Most importantly, she finds herself in a supportive environment through The Deal. "We already have opportunities to be creative and submit ideas. We have studios we can use any time of day, even in our free time. We have amazing performers to collaborate with."

Her decision to stay reflects a broader transformation underway in Shenzhen. A city once best known for advanced manufacturing and high-tech industries is now placing increasing emphasis on the performing arts.

The Deal, inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's epic Faust and Nikolai Gogol's The Overcoat, is Shenzhen's first resident immersive physical theater production.

Staged across seven decks and 4,600 square meters of immersive space aboard the historic Minghua cruise ship, the production brings together performing artists from 12 countries.

Since its premiere in October 2025, it has sustained strong ticket sales, drawing audiences not only from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area but also from elsewhere in China and overseas, according to Zhang Ruolin, marketing director of the cruise ship project.

"We can feel that the city's cultural and artistic scene is growing stronger. With Shenzhen's support for building itself into an international performing arts hub, we have received guidance from project planning to thematic development," says Zhang.

"Our vision is to follow the model of London's West End and New York's Broadway, using performing arts as a driving force to boost the city's cultural development and cultural tourism economy."

That systematic support is also taking shape through concrete policy measures.

A three-year support plan issued by the Shenzhen municipal bureau of culture, radio, television, tourism, and sports, which took effect on April 28, sets out subsidy standards for accredited performance spaces in three categories: language-based theater, immersive theater and live music.

Xu Yu, general manager of Shenzhen Performance Company, says the policy encourages event organizers to plan more high-quality concerts and further promotes the performing arts sector.

"The policy offers substantial funding support for top-tier artists, 1,000-seat theaters, and high-grossing productions," Xu says.

"This will help Shenzhen attract more high-quality theatrical works."

The city is already demonstrating its ambitions. The pioneering immersive production Sleep No More, which ended its decade-long Shanghai run in August, is set to debut at Shenzhen Bay next year.

Wang Yi, president of Shenzhen Jucheng Theater, is optimistic about the city's performing arts market. He says the city benefits from a large young audience, strong consumption demand and extensive reach across the Greater Bay Area.

Wen Liangfu, lead organizer of the annual World Cup Universal Open Dance Festival in Shekou, points to another advantage: the city's geographic location and convenient transportation have helped make the festival increasingly international.

"This year, dancers from 36 countries and regions came to compete in August," Wen says, adding that the competition has become a major performing arts event with growing social impact. It draws international participants while allowing domestic dancers to experience top-tier dance without leaving China.