The Shanxi Provincial Department of Finance recently issued an additional subsidy of 14.08 million yuan ($2.03 million) from the central government, which will be allocated to public cultural venues in counties and cities across North China's Shanxi province.

The subsidy will be used to support 127 public libraries, 129 cultural centers, 38 art galleries, 1,196 cultural stations at the township level and 213 urban community (sub-district) cultural centers.

It will enable them to open to the public at no charge and provide basic public services.

In 2020, the province has issued a total of 82.41 million yuan in subsidies for free entrance to open public cultural venues, a year-on-year increase of 21 percent. 

Officials said the latest gesture signified that the central government had increased its support for the free opening of public cultural venues in Shanxi.