Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts shapes art education for AI era

Leading art educators, alumni and cultural figures across the country gathered at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts for its 120th‑anniversary high‑quality development conference on Saturday. Representatives from 11 top Chinese art academies jointly released the New‑Art‑Discipline Initiative, setting shared goals for future‑oriented art education that integrates art and technology.

Evolved from Beiyang Women's Normal School founded in 1906, TAFA has nurtured generations of Chinese artists and art educators.

The anniversary event drew guests from China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, peer art universities, cultural organizations and overseas alumni.

The joint New‑Art‑Discipline Initiative puts forward 10 proposals covering talent‑training concepts, interdisciplinary integration, social responsibility and global vision. It calls for art schools to deepen integration between artistic creation and cutting‑edge technologies amid the AI era.

As a highlight of the conference, TAFA premiered Unyielding Will, a 105‑minute feature film entirely generated via AIGC by faculty and students. The production draws on the academy's 120‑year history and tells the stories of four generations of female artists pursuing their dreams.

TAFA aims to build itself into a "first‑class fine‑arts academy with Chinese characteristics, outstanding quality and global reputation", contributing to the construction of a strong cultural nation, the school officials said.