The 10th Shanghai Street Art Festival kicked off at DaNing Music Plaza in Shanghai's Jing'an district on Oct 10, showcasing a diverse array of talented buskers, or performers who entertain in public spaces, with acts from notable talents like Dong Yihan and Luo Xiaoluo taking center stage.

Wei Zhi, the chief coordinator of the Shanghai Performing Arts Association, expressed his pride in the increasing professionalism and education levels among local buskers. He noted that Shanghai's busking scene has evolved significantly since the licensing of the city's first batch of eight buskers in October 2014. Today, the busking community boasts more than 380 members, with over half of them holding at least a junior college degree.

The performances at the festival were divided into two categories: music performance and intangible cultural heritage crafts, with each artist bringing a unique personal story to their craft.

Dong, a former engineer who studied and worked in France, obtained his busking license in 2021 to play the vertical bamboo flute. For Dong, performing on the streets offers a stark contrast to his previous routine work life. Another standout busker, Luo, hailing from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, received his license in 2019 and formed a group called 8090. Luo's online performance videos garnered significant attention, drawing audiences to his live performances.

The first busking license issuance was commemorated with a nameplate at Jing'an Park a decade ago. Since then, the association has collaborated with various city departments to revitalize the Shanghai street performance scene.

The inaugural Shanghai Street Art Festival in 2015 welcomed buskers from over 30 countries and regions, including Germany, France, the United States, Belgium, and the Republic of Zimbabwe. The festival has since expanded to include multiple commercial complexes and business circles such as DaNing Music Plaza, 1000 Trees, and Bingo Plaza.

In a move to showcase community engagement and philanthropy, the association selected 30 elite members in 2021, forming teams to participate in performances across neighborhoods. Themed performances have been organized on streets, in schools, and at tourist attractions in recent years, with this year's festival commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Source: Jiefang Daily