798 is Mecca for Chinese contemporary artists. On Saturday, March 10 the rest of us can make the pilgrimage, too, at the inaugural artWALK Beijing.

Northeast Beijing's famous bohemian community is home to China's most dynamic artists, drawing comparisons to the Village in New York and Paris' Left Bank. Far more than China's most recognizable three digit address, the former electronics factory is a symbol of China's artistic vanguard, of eccentricity and alternate lifestyle. And yet this exciting community remains something of a mystery. "I think a lack of familiarity with Chinese contemporary art coupled with the sheer enormity of 798 is so daunting that it dissuades people from visiting the art district," suggests Katie Grube, manager of the Chinese Contemporary Gallery.

"ArtWALK is going to be more than just a stroll around the galleries," says creator Dan Ouyang. "It is going to be an event pulling together different sides of the creative community." Each month, artWALK will feature between five and eight galleries which will stay open later than usual then end with a reception complete with free food, drinks and performances from local bands, artists and acting troupes. Twelve galleries, scores of artists and many of Beijing's most popular acts have already signed on for the inaugural event March 10. Renowned patron of the arts, Absolut Vodka has pledged to provide the necessary social lubricant for 798 virgins and aficionados alike.

"ArtWALK is for everyone, but our target audience is really the city's young people,"says Kat Don, one of the event organizers. "What I love most about Beijing are the people: International friends with rich and diverse backgrounds converging with an equally varied and exciting generation of Chinese young people. I hope that artWALK will create future patrons, but also that it will provide a fun platform for Beijing's people to interact."

David Tung, deputy director of the Long March Space, believes artWALK will vitalize the art district while offering stimulating jaunts for the city's wannabe art critics. "We look at this event as an opportunity for art education," Tung says, "but not in the sense that most people would consider. Rather, it may serve as a platform for dialogue so that the audience and the art world can educate one another."

Whatever lasting effect the event has on Beijing's artists and art lovers, artWALK looks like a stroll in the right direction.

artWALK Beijing

Date:Saturday, March 10

6-8p.m: Selected 798 art galleries stay open after hours.

7:30-10p.m: Cocktail reception at Yan Art Space.

This event is free to the public.

Tel: 6528-1840 ext 6120
Email: dan@artwalkbeijing.com
Check: www.artwalkbeijing.com