A stage photo of The Divine Comedy by NoGravity Dance Company. [Photo/artsbird.com]

The 18th China Shanghai International Arts Festival will come together to celebrate over seventy international projects to show China's confidence in culture. It will follow the tenet of "A Festival of Arts, A Gala for All".

According to a press conference held by the organizing committee of the 18th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, this year's festival will present 50 performances, twenty-eight of which will be delivered by foreign artists. Half of the performances will be original shows. All of this will run between October 12 and November 15 this year.

It will highlight inheritance and innovation and live up to the standards of being international, classic and trailblazing.

It is going to be both star-studded and easily accessible to the public. During the festival, renowned artists from home and abroad will stage their signature works. One of the works is Fayuan Temple in Beijing, which was inspired by Li Ao's popular novel and directed by the renowned Chinese directress Tian Qinxin. Chekhov's classic drama The Cherry Orchard will star the highly-respected Chinese actor Pu Cunxin. To give everyone a peek into refined art, three public-interest projects Art Space, When Arts Meet Schools and Art Education will roll out as planned. Ordinary people will get the opportunity to communicate with maestros and learn from them.

This year happens to be the 400th anniversary of the deaths of two literary giants, Tang Xianzu and William Shakespeare. During the festival, interpretations of their work will take many forms by artists from different countries working together. Henry V will be jointly rendered by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

October 22 will mark the 80th anniversary of the completion of the Long March of the Red Army. To carry forward the Long March spirit of bravery, perseverance and solidarity, many moving and powerful stories will be told on stage.

In response to China's Belt and Road Initiative, there is going to be a special segment for countries and regions along the "Belt and Road" to showcase music and culture they are proud of.

The festival will also serve as a platform for supporting young artists. After three rounds of evaluation and selection, a dozen brilliant works created by talented youth will be featured at the festival. They will demonstrate young people's lives and thoughts in today's generation.

The China Shanghai International Arts Festival, which is hosted by the Ministry of Culture and organized by Shanghai Municipal People's Government, is the only state-led international arts festival in China. It has grown into a flagship project for cultural exchanges and one of the most influential events in China's art circle since its debut in 1999.