On July 8th, a group led by Fan Ruiping, member of Standing Committee of Sichuan Provincial CPC Committee & Secretary of Chengdu Municipal CPC Committee, paid a research visit to Dachuan Alley π Cubic Art Street. The visit is part of the “Remain True to the Mission” Research Initiative. The group members included senior officials in charge of Chengdu Municipal CPC Committee, Chengdu People’s Government, Policy Research Office of Chengdu Municipal CPC Committee, Chengdu Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Chengdu Administration of Park City Development, Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV, Film, Press, Publication and Tourism, Traffic Police Team of Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau and Chengdu Culture & Tourism Development Group. Qiu Wei, Chairman of Usunhome Group and of Usunhome Cultural Tourism, briefed the group on the project. 

The group first watched with interest a DIY training session for children outside Caimeng Children’s Galley, and then entered into Dali Gallery and Zhulu Gallery and talked cordially with their managers. Dali Gallery exhibits and sells works by overseas artists. It was co-founded by young returnees who had studied arts in countries like France, Italy and Singapore. Fan Ruiping said that as Chengdu was becoming increasingly international, novel creative foreign artworks would be more popular with the Chengdunese. 

Fan Ruiping also asked specific questions about the operation and sales of Zhulu Gallery run by Usunhome Group. Gratified by the fact that its affordable paintings are much liked by consumers,  he stressed that artworks should indeed be so for art is meant to serve rather than transcend life itself. Besides, Fan Ruiping approved of the gallery’s supporting business forms like beverage and merchandise selling. According to him, only when art streets create contexts for consumption can they thrive in the long term.

Chen Lizhang, Secretary of Jinjiang District CPC Committee, pointed out Dachuan Alley’s market-oriented approach to operation and its management pattern that fully engages the government, the company, the community, the business owners and the residents. Both were spoken highly of by Fan Ruiping.

“Even a single street forms a unique world.” At the end of the visit, Mr. Fan gave full recognition to Dachuan Alley π Cubic Art Street’s achievement and considered it a model for Chengdu’s development of featured streets and its development into a “park city”. He hoped that it would constantly attract outstanding cultural, tourism and art talents and keep improving the galleries, in a way that helps demonstrate a park city’s vital role in people’s cultural, economic, aesthetic and everyday life.