The Meihua Citizens Arts Center at 35 Shanghua Road in New Xiangzhou opened to the public Nov 22 for artistic, cultural, leisure, and public welfare activities along with exchanges and training.

The five-story facility adjoins the large Zhongzhu Shangcheng and Yanlord Xingyuan residential communities. It has floor area of 3,511 sqm (nearly an acre) and 22 functional sections themed under Meihua Art, Life, Creativity, Literature & Art, and Whole Family.

The ground-floor lobby is used for consultations, exhibitions and exchanges, and a Time Book House for reading, drinks, cultural-creative products, cultural salons, handicrafts, and parent-child open classes.

A Life Science Experience Hall on the 2nd floor helps visitors acquire survival skills to survive natural disasters and for campus security, traffic accidents, and fire emergencies with the assistance of virtual reality devices.

Meihua Citizens Arts Center [Photo by Chen Jiazhe & Zeng Yao / Zhuhai Media Group]

In addition, the center's Dreamland will introduce the Community Dream Center of the Shanghai Adream Foundation. This public welfare project will offer internet access, multimedia, career experience, books, and lessons for children in standardized classrooms. The Civilized & Courteous Classroom will provide children and teenagers with "civilization education" through multimedia interactions.

A 219-sqm (262-sq-yd) Multifunctional Conference Hall on the 3rd floor can accommodate 150 people for cultural and art performances, concerts, community symposiums, and forums. The Children's Interest Space is suitable for reading, handicrafts, and developmental activities

On the same floor, a public welfare project Dummy Daddy Workshop, New Creation Museum of Old Life for recycling, restoration, and innovation of well-worn articles, and Creative Workshop for Community Capable Brains, which encourages business incubation, cultural-creative events, handicrafts, and life sharing, are also in play.

Moreover, the 4th floor is replete with small-sized activity rooms for performances and training, as well as all kinds of rehearsal rooms for dancing, choruses, operas, and instrumental and folk music.

The Meihua Whole Family on the 5th floor is dedicated to leisure activities. Visitors can slow down their lives by drinking tea and talking in the Old Visitors' Guild Hall, or by engaging in calligraphy, painting, and chess in a 58-sqm (69-sq-yd) recreation space.

To get there, take Buses 18, 46, K2, or 102 to North of Sanshitai (三台石北) and walk six minutes, or Buses 1, 5, 6, 8, 15, 22, 43, 56, 68, 204, 602, 602A, 993, or 999 to Anjuyuan (安居园) and walk for seven minutes.

Opening hours are 9 am-noon and 2:30-8:30 pm Tuesdays to Sundays. On-site reservations are made at the Operation Center on the 5th floor from 9 am to noon, or 2:30-5 pm Tuesday to Sunday. For online reservations follow WeChat account MEIHUA-JD, send message "艺术中心预约" or scan the QR code below: