Shanghai sets new course for global cultural metropolis

Shanghai has released a new five-year plan (2026-30) to sharpen its cultural identity, expand creative industries, and strengthen global outreach, as the city moves to build itself into a socialist international cultural metropolis with greater global influence, officials said on July 23.

At a municipal government press conference, Fang Shizhong, executive deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, introduced the plan, which builds on Shanghai's cultural achievements over the past five years.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the Memorial of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China welcomed more than 13 million visitors, and 21 Shanghai-produced works won national "Five-One Project" awards. The city's cultural industries also expanded, with revenue from culture-related enterprises exceeding 1.4 trillion yuan ($206.6 billion) in 2025.

Building on that foundation, Shanghai aims to strengthen mainstream communication by developing theory-communication platforms, creating a new mainstream media group, and cultivating cultural talent. More than 1,500 people are expected to be selected for national or municipal high-level talent programs over the next five years.

The plan also aims to enhance the "Shanghai Culture" brand by drawing on Red, Haipai, and Jiangnan cultures. It calls for a joint World Heritage bid for Jiangnan water towns, upgrades to the 15-minute public cultural service circle, and expanded residents' night schools.

Performing arts are another priority. Shanghai plans to create a new State-owned performing arts group, deepen troupe reform, and reach about 65,000 performances a year. The Shanghai Grand Opera House is being prepared for an Oct 17 opening.

For cultural industries, the city targets five clusters each exceeding 100 billion yuan, broader AI adoption, and more than 12 major culture-commerce-tourism-sports-exhibition events annually. It also plans to support the overseas expansion of online literature, web dramas, and games while deepening cultural cooperation across the Yangtze River Delta region.