On August 17, 2018, the first domestic Panda International Art Center opened at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Meanwhile, the 1st Tianfu Giant Panda Culture Symposium in 2018 was held. Leaders from relevant provincial and municipal departments, including the Publicity Department of Sichuan Provincial Party Committee of the CPC, the Forestry Department of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the News Office of Chengdu Municipal People's Government, the Forestry and Landscape Bureau of Chengdu, Chengdu Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Chengdu Artists Association, Chengdu Photographers Association, and the Publicity Department of Chenghua District, representatives from national, provincial and municipal enterprises committed to giant panda culture transmission, and relevant artists and public welfare star gathered to witness this important historical moment and advise on the continued development and expansion of Tianfu Giant Panda Culture. Chen Hua, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of Sichuan Provincial Party Committee of the CPC, Mr. Nathan Stedman, Communication and Innovation Consultant at the Representative Office of NUDP in China, et al. attended and delivered speeches at the Starting Ceremony.
Giant pandas, a rare and endangered animal unique to China, has unique scientific, aesthetic, cultural, ecological, and political value and enjoys a special significance and important position in modern and contemporary Chinese arts. At present, relevant parties in Chenghua District, Chengdu and even in Sichuan Province are closely following the panda theme and together are creating an international panda brand. In order to create a stronger giant panda art and culture atmosphere, promote the creation and exchange of giant panda art and culture, further spread Chinese stories and carry forward giant panda culture, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has elaborately planned and prepared for more than two years and finally built the first domestic Panda International Art Center to comprehensively showcase Tianfu Giant Panda Culture with diversified giant panda art works.
At 14: 30 p.m., the Starting Ceremony kicked off with catchy panda music. The leader from the News Office of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, a guest from UNDP, and the person in charge of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the sponsor, delivered speeches. Then, Mr. Zhao Anru, a famous artist, inscribed wishes for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on site. Also, Bin Junyi, Deputy Director of the Forestry Department of Sichuan Province, announced the names of all participating artists in the first. Leaders from relevant provincial and municipal departments granted letters of appointment and thanks to the artists, and He Hongshan, a public welfare star, along with cute panda cubs expressed congratulations on video, fostering a happy and harmonious atmosphere. The participating guests, artists, and public welfare star pulled the launch bar on the stage, officially opening the Panda International Art Center!
The Panda International Art Center, located on the third floor of Giant Panda Museum, is an international non-profit exhibition venue that integrates collections and exhibitions of giant panda artwork, enhanced creation and exchange of giant panda culture and art, giant panda science popularization education, and other functions. In the Panda International Art Center, four exhibition areas were comprehensively planned from professional, interactive, functional, and other perspectives: the Contemporary Art Space, Multi-Art Space, Theme Art Space, and Giant Panda Culture and Art Salon. To enrich the exhibits in the Panda International Art Center and collect outstanding pieces of panda art, on June 5, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and Chengdu Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles jointly collected all kinds of giant panda art from all over the world and evaluated and selected 10 excellent works for this Opening Ceremony. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has also been soliciting contributions from giant panda art experts. Today, about 40 exhibits were displayed, showcasing oil painting, sculpting, photographt, print, calligraphy and other artistic forms, all of which vividly interpreted the rich depth of Tianfu Giant Panda Culture.
The 2018 Tianfu Giant Panda Culture Symposium, themed with Panda, Culture, and Industry began with a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere in the Panda International Art Center. Leaders from Migu Culture Technology Co., Ltd., Migu Music, Sichuan Airlines, Tianyu Group, Baofeng Group Co., Ltd., Sizhitang, the Galaxy Museum of Contemporary Art, and other cultural entities delivered keynote speeches with a focus on the Giant Panda Culture Industry and Capital Market; and representatives from Tencent, Visual China Group, CCTV iPanda, Pandapia and other news units thoroughly discussed and exchanged on the theme of the Spread of Giant Panda Culture in the Era of New Media.
In addition, at today’s Starting Ceremony, the Philatelic and Cultural Media Department of the Chengdu Branch of the China Post Group Corporation and Beijing Dragonfilms Co., Ltd. jointly issued a collection of stamps of giant panda culture and the Wild Goose, the themed stamp for the 2018 Qixi Festival, aiming to better facilitate the spread and development of Tianfu Giant Panda Culture by promoting theme stamps. Meanwhile, Tencent announced its official adoption of a giant panda at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and expressed their willingness to promote the public welfare and protection of giant pandas.

Bin Junyi, Deputy Director of the Forestry Department of Sichuan Province, announcing the participating artists in the first group


Chen Hua, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of Sichuan Provincial Party Committee of the CPC, delivering a speech


Nathan Stedman, Communication and Innovation Consultant at the Representative Office of NUDP in China


Zhang Zhihe, Director and Secretary of Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, delivering a speech


The giant panda adopted by Tencent


Stamps issued by Philatelic and Cultural Media Department of the Chengdu Branch of the China Post Group Corporation and Beijing Dragonfilms Co., Ltd.


Zhao Anru, calligrapher, inscribing wishes


Certificate granted to He Hongshan


Starting Ceremony


Ribbon cutting at the Opening Ceremony of Panda International Art Center