In recent years, Shanghai has accelerated the cultivation of new productive forces in the cultural and creative sector, fostered an enabling ecosystem for high-quality development, and unleashed the vitality of innovation and creativity. These efforts have continuously strengthened the competitiveness and influence of Shanghai's cultural and creative industries. Shanghai aims to become an internationally influential center for cultural and creative industries by 2035.

Achievements in 2025

​Industry Support

Broad Audience Base with Strong Spending Power

• The exhibition On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt attracted over 2.27 million visits, generating more than 760 million yuan ($113.49 million) in ticket and cultural and creative merchandise revenue and driving over 35 billion yuan in overall consumption across the city;
• Shanghai hosted 182 international and domestic sporting events, with sports-related consumption increasing by 35 percent year on year during major events and visitors from outside the city staying an average of 3.2 days.

Well-supported Gaming and E-sports Ecosystem

• Shanghai ranked among China's top cities for e-sports revenue and led the country in the number of e-sports tournaments and top-tier clubs;
• Under the Several Measures of Shanghai on Supporting the Development of the Gaming and E-sports Industry, financial support is available for gaming industry clustering, premium content creation, sci-tech innovation, and cultural exports.

Diversified and Integrated New Consumption Scenarios

• The deeper integration of culture, commerce, sports, tourism and exhibitions has boosted the vitality of the ticket-stub economy, major consumer festivals, the performance arts economy and the nighttime economy;
• Show Life anchors a 1.5 km² theater district in Shanghai's central urban area, linking 27 professional theaters and 116 new-type performance venues with integrated commercial complexes.

Highlight Elements

Industry Associations: Shanghai Creative Industry Association, Shanghai Internet Culture Association, Shanghai Municipal Association of Culture & Entertainment Industry, etc.

Conventions & Exhibitions: Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, Rolex Shanghai Masters, ChinaJoy, CCG EXPO, etc.

Industry Platforms: DOBE WE International Hub @The Bund, Shanghai Cultural and Creative Industries Public Information Service Platform, Shanghai International Antiques and Fine Art Trade Center, etc.

Industry Policies

Three-Year Action Plan for Supporting Healthy Development of the E-sports Industry in Shanghai (2024-26)

Action Plan for Building Shanghai into a Globally Renowned City of Sports Events (2026-30)

• Supporting major sporting events such as the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai, Shanghai Marathon, Longines Global Champions Tour Shanghai, and Head of Shanghai River Regatta.
• Several Measures of Shanghai Municipality on Supporting the Creation of High-quality Internet Content

Measures of Shanghai Municipality for Promoting the High-quality Development of the Software and Information Services Industry

• Piloting policies when appropriate to allow games developed in Shanghai by foreign-invested enterprises to be treated the same way as the domestically produced games.

​Exemplary Case

In 2026, the global esports events including HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League, International DOTA2 Championships and VALORANT Champions Tour will be held in Shanghai. Shanghai has held International DOTA2 Championships 2019, League of Legends World Championship 2025 and Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, which makes Shanghai the first city to have held three world top esports events.

Industry Map

​"4 + X": Spatial Layout of the Cultural and Creative Industries in Shanghai

"4" Specialized Industry Belts

Cultural and Creative Industry Development Belt Along the Suzhou Creek, East-westward Axis for Cultural and Creative Industry Development, Cultural and Creative Industry Development Belt Along the Huangpu River, New Economic Circle Along and Between the Middle and Outer Ring Roads

"X" Distinctive Development Areas

Circum-SHU Film and Television Industry Cluster, Circum-Donghua University Fashion and Creative Industry Park, Online Film and Television Industry Agglomeration Belt Along Jinshajiang Road, Jinshan National Demonstration Park of Green and Creative Printing, Songjiang Film and Television Industry Cluster, West Hongqiao, Circum-Tongji Creative Design Cluster, Innovation Yard Cultural and Creative Industry Cluster, National Music Industry Park, Shanghai National Digital Publishing Base, Oriental Beauty Valley, Southern Shanghai Cultural and Creative Industry Cluster, etc.

Source: 2026 Shanghai Foreign Investment Guide