Move taken to integrate public cultural resources into local residents' lives

A senior resident practices calligraphy at a cultural facility in Qihe county. [Photo by Liu Lei, Sun Shuyi for chinadaily.com.cn]

To make better use of public cultural resources at the local level, Qihe county in Shandong province has in recent years implemented a measure known as "cultural harbingers".

Cultural harbingers help local towns and subdistricts set up art troupes, Chinese orchestras, choruses, and clubs for photography, painting, calligraphy, and folk art. Training institutions, retired teachers, and other resources are being leveraged to offer training activities regularly.

A talent show for local residents is held in Qihe county. [Photo by Liu Lei, Sun Shuyi for chinadaily.com.cn]

Over the past three years, cultural facilities in local towns and subdistricts have livened up and locals have become more interested in participating in cultural activities.

All 15 towns and subdistricts in Qihe have launched the "cultural harbingers" measure and established over 180 cultural organizations, which have offered 8,000 hours of training and served more than 600,000 people. They have also cultivated over 8,000 grassroots cultural talent. (Edited by Gong Jun)