Shanghai Workers' Culture Palace [Shanghai]

Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation was founded in November 1986 in response to the strategic development of culture in Shanghai. It was one of the first few regional organizations of this kind in China, and is now one of the largest and most influential foundations in Shanghai.

The mission of the SHCDF is: to raise funds for cultural development, grant public culture, promote cultural innovation, foster cultural talents and facilitate culture exchanges, so as to prosper cultural undertaking in Shanghai.

Led and guided by Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal People's Government and supported by all circles, the Foundation has, since its inception, raised funds from society through various channels using revolutionary methods to promote cultural activities, thus made great contributions to the cultural undertaking in Shanghai and established a reputation of a staunch supporter of culture.

The SHCDF has four functions:

I.Guiding and Modeling

Through funding and supporting excellent cultural artistic programs, reflecting the role of guiding and modeling.

With the increasing social wealth and China's open-up and reform, more and more various cultural foundations that cover many areas will emerge, thus generate an active field for cultural investment and fund-raising. Funding and supporting excellent cultural artistic programs to reflect the role of guiding and modeling, Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation is, however, different from other public, private or professional foundations. The Foundation therefore plays a leading and exemplary role with its explicit political directives, positive social effects, wide-ranged public services and international standard of operation.

II. Attracting Fund Resources

Operating justly and publicly, the Foundation collects various isolated funds, which were intended to finance cultural projects, and channel these fund resources to the development of cultural undertaking. The Foundation contributes greatly to the development of folk culture and the progress of human being. In metropolis like Shanghai, whereby there are heavy capital flows and numerous individuals and organizations who have the strong desire to sponsor cultural development but worry about problems like policy risks and operating mistakes, etc. Through the Foundation, isolated funds can have scale effects, funding risk can be effectively minimized, and the donors' goodwill of supporting cultural development can be realized.

III. Fostering Innovation

Funding and supporting some original, creative, experimental projects, the Foundation strongly encourages the growth of new artists and attracts more excellent cultural projects to be assembled in the city-group centered around Shanghai. The development of a world-class city shows that: the cultural power of a city will be reflected not only by the number of the cultural elites attracted to the city, but also by the power to push for original creation. Up to now, the awards for large-scale cultural and artistic programs set up in Shanghai have been mainly focused on awarding excellent works and artists that are influential home and abroad, such as: "Shanghai Literary Award" and "Bao Steel Refined Art Award", etc. But now it is crucial to support new artists in culture and arts in Shanghai. Upholding the banner of "fostering and nourishing new artists", the Foundation distinguishes itself from other foundations with its own characteristics, providing more cultural resources for further prospering of the Chinese people.

IV. Extending Exchange

The Foundation aims to promote the cultural exchanges between Shanghai and the whole Yangtze River Delta as well as the rest of the world, and to draw upon the cutting edge achievements of cultural development worldwide; it will not confine itself within Shanghai alone, but will extend its coverage gradually to the city-group of the entire Yangtze River Delta, thereby standing as an inspiring cultural banner at the joint of major rivers and the sea. With China's further modernization in the 21st century, a Great Shanghai Metropolitan Group is rising as the first in China and the sixth in the world, including 15 cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai itself, extending for 300 km, having a share of over 15% in GDP. The establishment of the Foundation will make it possible to collect funds and resources of the Yangtze River Delta more efficiently, facilitating the cultural collaboration, fusion and creation in the Yangtze River Delta. At the same time, working together on projects with overseas cultural foundations, consigning reciprocally and co-funding, the Foundation introduces Shanghai's culture to the world through participation in international competitions and exchanges so that Shanghai's cultural undertakings can co-exist with and flourish under the influence of the excellent cultural fulfillments of the world.

In recent years, the SHCDF has held a series of large-scale cultural communication activities, such as annually held'Shanghai Art Fair','Shanghai eArt Festival', etc, which has exercised a great influence in Shanghai, even in foreign countries.

Since March 2003, the SHCDF has carried out a significant reform to establish a granting mode and operating mechanism which meet the international convention and norms. After taking overall adjustment and reform, the SHCDF, under the commission of the government and in accordance with the principles of fairness, justness, openness and standardization, has developed a series of grants, awards, supporting loans, and investment on public welfare projects in the whole society.

Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation has developed good cooperating relationships with a lot of cultural organizations at home and abroad for its unique advantages. The SHCDF also has kept wide and close contact with all social sectors such as the press, enterprises, cultural art, etc. which brings SHCDF a vital impact both at home and abroad.

Address: 396 Panyu Rd. 2nd Floor Tel: 86-21-62815037(switchboard)