Ancient ruins add to drama of arts festival

Although the COVID-19 pandemic forced many to stay at home in 2020, the number of visitors to the site was still an impressive 1.5 million, a slight decline from 1.7 million in 2019, according to studio officials. The festival's opening saw a surge of tourists during the five-day May Day holiday, says Zhang Gongfu, general manager of the film studio, which was established by his father, Zhang Xianliang, in 1993. His late father, then a famed writer, invited many of his director friends to shoot their films there in the 1990s.

In 2015, Zhang Gongfu held a contemporary art festival in the studio for the first time, inviting artists from home and abroad to create public artworks in the barren landscape near the studio. The Museum of Contemporary Art Yinchuan has also opened its doors to the public, providing a unique space to appreciate creativity in comfort. Both the festival and museum signify the appeal of art regardless of its surroundings.