Hangzhou Hi-tech Zone (Binjiang) to welcome thousands for cartoon festival
A parade was held in the lakeside pedestrian street of Hangzhou last weekend as a prelude to the 20th CICAF.
The 20th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival, which will take place in Hangzhou Hi-tech Zone (Binjiang) from May 29 to June 2, is expected to draw thousands of visitors from home and abroad.
Ever since its inception in June 2005, the CICAF has expanded to become a carnival for mega-buffs across China. The district has been the primary location for the yearly CICAF for the past 12 years.
In December 2004, Binjiang made a significant stride by becoming one of the first national hubs for the high-tech animation industry. The following year, the animated series "Tian Yan (Heavenly Eye)" achieved remarkable success. Subsequent years witnessed ongoing endeavors in the creation of numerous distinctive cartoons. In 2008 alone, 24 different cartoon productions were completed, amassing a cumulative total of 16,886 minutes of episode runtime.
Today, Binjiang's cartoon and video game industry is home to the top talent and businesses in the country, such as NetEase, Wasu Media, Bianfeng and Zoland. Animation and cartoons are regarded as essential components of the creative and cultural industries.
The local creative and cultural industries generated 77.78 billion yuan (US$10.75 billion) in added value in 2023, which accounted for 31 percent of Binjiang's GDP. In order to grow the creative and cultural sectors, Binjiang has developed a "culture plus technology" model over the last 20 years.
Due to its explosive growth in the animation and derivative sectors, Binjiang has emerged as a key area for experts and enthusiasts in the fields of video games, anime, audio products and cartoons. The Binjiang government's strong policy support is the cause of the thriving sector.
In 2005, Binjiang released the first edition of their support policy, which was later revised to the sixth version in 2023. Binjiang declared in its most recent policy that it will provide annually in subsidies to teams, projects and talented individuals. The government has offered measures, such as rent subsidies and R&D incentives in an effort to draw in more businesses.
The district is to be in the vanguard of China's creative and cultural trends, according to the local authorities. Binjiang's favorable environment, industrial cluster system, and preferential regulations attract businesses like Liucai Cartoon, Yan Hun, Sparkey Studio and Electronic Soul.
Liucai Cartoon was founded in 2015. In its initial years, the company collaborated with other film studios on the production of animations featuring characters from ancient Chinese myths and legends, such as "Ne Zha" and "Jiang Ziya." Over the years, Liucai Cartoon has evolved, developing its own distinctive intellectual properties, including the stories of Bai Suzhen (White Snake) and Lucky Star.
An aerial view of the China Cartoon and Animation Museum
The creative and cultural sectors have traditionally been centered on intellectual property.
Three platforms – the China Cartoon and Animation Museum, the Hangzhou Culture and Creative Industry Expo, and the China Internet Writers Village – have been established by Binjiang in an effort to market additional intellectual property.
China's first museum devoted to cartoons and animation debuted in Binjiang in 2021. Encompassing approximately 30,000 square meters, the China Cartoon and Animation Museum features four exhibition halls that function as a theater, movie theater, library and recording studio. Thousands of documents, archives and anime models documenting the history of cartoons and animation in China are on exhibit.
The 18th Hangzhou Culture and Creative Industry Expo will take place in November. It has developed into a platform to advance economic development and the city's creative industries. It is also regarded as a venue for regional universities to exhibit their innovations and imaginative designs.
The China Internet Writers Village, the country's only such community, seeks to advance the growth of online literature. Nearly 300 writers had agreements to open studios in the town by the end of 2023. The hamlet anticipates that writer numbers will reach 600 and that royalties will bring in 500 million yuan by 2027, as per its five-year plan (2023–27).
A face-to-face gathering known as Intellectual Property Express brings writers and cultural companies together with the goal of reducing red tape and transforming IPs into computer games, animated films, TV soap operas and motion pictures. It's been regarded as a successful strategy for fostering business partnerships. Intellectual Property Express signed agreements for 80 projects by March, totaling 1.45 billion yuan.
