The fifth Beijing International Art Biennale will be held in October 2012. The biennale, whose theme is Future and Reality, will "present at least 600 works by artists from around the world that reflect challenges and crises facing mankind", says Wu Changjiang, deputy chairman of Chinese Artists Association, a key organizer.

Meanwhile, 10 scholars and teachers from major art academies and museums in China will go on a three-month overseas training session in art colleges, art museums, and art studios in several North American and European countries, thanks to a government-backed fund. This program was started in 2009.