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Songzhuang: A New Cultural, Creative Industry Zone

For 13 years, artists have been settling in Songzhuang, or “Song Village,” in Tongzhou District, about 25 kilometres east of Tian’anmen Square. Since then, the area has become a haven for creative people, mostly artists, from all across China.

Annual sales of art from this area are estimated to be worth about 250 million yuan (approximately US$370,000).

With an area of 14.6 square kilometres, almost as large as Chongwen, one of the seven Central Beijing districts, this newest creative and cultural industry zone will also be one of the ten largest created in Beijing in recent years.

First populated when there was no real market for contemporary art in China by artists who lived in the most humble of dwellings rented to them by open-minded villagers willing to take a risk, some of the works produced by these artists now fetch millions on the worldwide art market. Even a middling artist can now make enough money to continue their work and development, and now the entire concept has been embraced by local authorities who are working to make Songzhuang a full-fledged cultural and creative industrial zone engaged in four primary activities: original art creation, animation, creative design, and recreation and exhibitions.

A special fund was set up earlier this year to attract artists from around the world, but particularly from the Republic of Korea, which enjoys fame for its TV dramatic productions across Asia. This was one of the latest moves taken by the local authorities to develop the Songzhuang Cultural and Creative Zone, currently home to more than 2,500 artists from China and abroad. Songzhuang is now inviting experts and students from the Jilin Academy of Fine Arts and the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts and other art schools to help in its development. These include specialists in artistic design, film animation, oil painting, traditional Chinese painting, printmaking, sculpture and architecture.

Under local planning with approval of the municipal authorities, Songzhuang plans to promote the development of an exhibition and conferences industry, a visual arts industry along with cultural and art consulting companies. Also planned are art salons, hotels, and exhibition halls. Songzhuang will eventually be turned into a “contemporary Chinese art village” and a “base for original artistic and cultural creations,” according to local officials.

Priority is being given to development of the animation industry. China’s cartoon industry produced more than 81,000 minutes of animation in 2007, almost double the 2006 output of 42,700 minutes. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) also reported at a recent meeting to mark the 80th anniversary of China's cartoon production that the country has exported 65,100 minutes of cartoons to 17 countries and regions in recent years.

The Sunchime Cartoon Group, a leading computer animation research and development company in China, has established the country’s largest digital animation production studio in Songzhuang. It plans to invest 5.5 billion yuan (about US$ 800 million) in a programme to eventually expand the studio into a “national animation town” of 3,000 mu (200 hectares).

Sunchime’s TV educational animation series Three Thousand Whys of Blue Cat has been successful in and outside China. This came as a boost to confidence of company executives in seeking development at Songzhuang, where 15 animation companies have set up branches since 2005, including Sunchime, the Shanghai Animation Film Studio and China Film Group Corporation.

Original art designing is another sector to receive priority in development, in that Songzhuang already has a large number of talents in fine art, sculpture, photography and new media. The local authorities are particularly keen to the development of home and image designing that caters to market demand, especially customized designing. To this end, Songzhuang is planning to set up some specialized committees and industrial associations.

Also planned at Songzhuang are artistically designed hotels, theatres and office buildings. In a few years from now, local officials say, there will be more exhibitions and conferences held here. The annual Songzhuang Art Festival has become a brand name in recent years. Artists from around the world have exhibited their works here, and more visitors and long-term expatriates in Beijing feel that Songzhuang is a must-see place.

The Songzhuang culture and creative industry cluster now comprises two centres, two “belts” and five areas. The two centres refer to the financial services centre and the recreation and a conference and exhibition centre. There is a business belt that extends from east to west in the Songzhuang area and a cultural belt, from north to south. The business belt, with business and office buildings, is the “backbone” of Songzhuang’s urban development. The cultural “belt” is home to art galleries, art studios and exhibition halls. The five areas feature, separately, original art trading, conference and exhibition services, animation and on-line games trading, creative designing, and services for daily life. The five parts will promote the development of Songzhuang creative culture zone economically and culturally.

Convenient access to transportation is one of Songzhuang’s leading assets. Only 13 kilometres from the Beijing Capital International Airport, the Songzhuang Creative and Cultural Zone is close to Beijing’s Sixth Ring Road, the Beijing–Harbin Expressway and the Beijing–Chongqing Expressway. Access to Songzhuang has been made easier by improvements to the city’s subway system. The village is also easily accessible on the 938 Ö§9 bus from a bus stop under the Third Ring Road at Jianguomenwai Dajie.

Located between the Wenyu and Chaobai rivers, and as an agricultural area, Songzhuang is environmentally pleasing. This also explains the presence of three nearby golf courses and a horse-racing ground, one of the largest in Asia.

Under the Beijing City Master Plan (2004–2020), the development of Tongzhou District is one of the city’s priorities. At Songzhuang, large tracts of land are meant for sale at relatively low prices. Moreover, the Beijing Municipal Government is intensifying its efforts to promote the development of the local cultural and creative industry. For one thing: a special municipal government fund of 500 million yuan (about US$740,000) has been earmarked annually for investment in the industry.

In Songzhuang the goal is one of creating a cultural and creative industrial chain with sufficient support from artistic and other talents. Songzhuang will eventually become nationally important as a cultural and creative industry zone. Within five to seven years, two centres (original art creation and exhibition trade centres) and two bases (original art and animation production bases) will be created. Songzhuang’s 2010 business output should be at least 20 percent over 2007 if everything goes as planned.

宋庄文化创意产业集聚区：

在原创的旗帜下发展文化创意产业

文/杜秀平

从长安街向东，通州新城的东北部、宋庄镇的南部，有一片规划面积14.6平方公里的地方，那就是越来越受世界瞩目的北京市首批文化创意产业集聚区之一——宋庄文化产业集聚区。集聚区北起规划一路，南至京哈高速，东至东部发展带联络线，西临六环路。在北京市首批认定的10个文化产业集聚区产业当中，通州宋庄面积是最大的，几乎相当于一个崇文区。

宋庄地处温榆河与潮白河之间，属平原地带，绿地覆盖率33%，是北京地区重要的水源保护地，这里的常住人口近10万人。经过13年的发展，目前的宋庄已经形成了一个产值2.5亿元以上，集现代艺术作品创作、展示、交易和服务为一体的艺术品市场体系，相关的配套产业和服务行业以及基础设施也呈现快速发展的趋势。虽然集聚区管理委员会的牌子刚刚挂上半年，但这里的规划、招商、建设已经在紧锣密鼓的进行中。

宋庄文化创意产业集聚区的定位是：根据集聚区资源优势、产业特点和市场前景，充分突出以原创艺术与动漫产业为核心的产业特色，重点扶持发展原创艺术、动漫网游产业、创意设计产业、会展休闲产业四大主导产业，形成四大产业互动、产业链高端齐全的良好局面。

强化原创艺术产业培育交易环节

近期，宋庄文化产业集聚区发起设立了艺术创作基金，以优惠条件吸引聚集短期访问的各国艺术家。此举引起了法国、韩国等多个国家艺术家的积极的反响，并且陆续收到来自世界各地、各种形式的咨询信息。

据了解，宋庄文化产业集聚区还将通过盘活闲置资源，针对集聚区内企业闲置厂房和居民闲置房屋，实施结构性软替代，使闲置资产得到利用，缓解产业发展的土地压力。在强化原创的基础上，将视觉艺术产业向后端延伸，通过大力发展文化经纪、会展策划、咨询评估等文化中介组织，设立艺术品与艺术授权产品超市，建设艺术沙龙与艺术酒店群，建设大型交易和消费场所，解决原创艺术品就地交易的各种困难，开展艺术品授权活动，推动文化艺术产品的策划、生产、展演和后续开发，形成以艺术家为主体、艺术原创性为导向，创作、服务、经营（交易、授权）、体验消费一条龙的原创艺术产业体系。

艺术创作基金的设立以及对闲置资源的盘活，使宋庄文化创意产业集聚区的艺术原创群落继续壮大，形成了国际艺术空间、亚洲艺术公社、东方文化艺术园等国内一流、国际知名的原创艺术园区和标志性文化设施。此后还将在目前原创视觉艺术优势基础上，打造原创艺术产业链后端，使宋庄从“画家村”真正转变为“中国当代艺术村”，形成集创作、会展和交易等多种功能于一体，面向国际国内市场，规模宏大、在中国和世界独树一帜的原创艺术圣地。

聚合动漫产业占据产业链高端

三辰卡通在近期召开新闻发布会上表示：争取通过5年的努力，把宋庄集聚区建成以三辰动漫为龙头、最具原创力的国家级动漫城，规划建设面积3000亩，投产后产值预计达到55亿元，直接从业人员1.6万人。

集聚区相关负责人表示，三辰卡通的入驻有利于动漫与原创艺术结合，形成互补的局面。规划中的动漫产业要高起点占领产业链前后两端高附加值环节，以“三辰”品牌为龙头形成前端创意工作室集群、后端衍生产品和周边产品集群以及体验消费中心区。

三辰卡通将充分利用北京地区众多的大学和研发机构，为宋庄集聚区培育和聚拢大量动漫设计、制作与经营人才，秉持集聚区“原创精神”，加强原创动漫的研发力度，研发和制作具有民族性、原创性的动漫产品，设立优秀原创动漫作品奖，鼓励涌现更多的原创人才。集聚区计划实施“创意蜂窝”计划，引进国内外300—500家动漫领域中小型企业和个人工作室，形成动漫创意人才和创意企业集群。同时利用其成熟的营销渠道，快速实现盈利。

在动漫产业发展上，将重点抓住产业链两端，重点发展“创意设计—市场营销—衍生产品开发”等高端环节，加工制造环节转移到集聚区外。通过全方位搭建技术研发中心、创意孵化中心、作品展示交易中心、动漫娱乐中心和公共服务平台，形成研发商、运营商、发行商、销售商及周边服务商紧密联系，创意策划、版权转让、发行销售和衍生产品开发高度相关的高端产业环节。

利用原创人才优势发展设计产业

宋庄文化创意产业集聚区确定发展的第三个支柱产业是设计产业。

在原创的旗帜下发展文化创意产业，就是要立足集聚区内部巨大的绘画、雕塑、图片、装置、新媒体等原创人才资源，积极顺应家居设计、形象包装及环境保护热潮给设计业带来的巨大市场需求，把设计业与装饰业充分结合起来，重点拓展建筑装饰、室内设计、企业及产品形象设计包装等行业，通过形态重塑和注入原创艺术元素等手段，充分彰显当代艺术的先锋时尚个性。

集聚区大力支持入驻机构或企业承接酒店、剧场、办公大楼等建筑的室内设计业务，将艺术设计与建筑装饰业结合。为充实集聚区研发设计队伍的中坚力量，还将从吉林美院与四川美院中与创意产业相关的设计艺术系、影视动画学院、油画系、国画系、版画系、建筑艺术系、雕塑系等院系中吸取智力支持和人才储备。目前，集聚区的入驻企业积极参与的大型酒店、公共设施的设计竞标正在进行之中。

同时，集聚区积极酝酿构建设计行业协会，加快培育一批建筑装饰和室内设计装饰龙头企业。

依托人文资源推动会展休闲产业

集聚区相关负责人介绍，宋庄文化创意产业集聚区将以现有的法国、韩国艺术展示场馆为基础，吸引更多国家前来设立展馆，大力发展专业化、特色化会展，打造高端、专业的艺术会展中心以及国际文化产业会展中心，争取把宋庄建设成为北京文化艺术“使馆”区。

一年一度的宋庄艺术节是其主要旅游会展品牌，在国内外产生了巨大影响，成为吸引游客的亮点。通过与国际上主要的文化产业行业协会合作，引进一批国内外会展节庆，逐步成为与英国爱丁堡国际艺术节等齐名的国际文化活动；积极引入市场机制，利用丰富的原创艺术资源开发“艺术旅游”、“体验式旅游”，使游客在日常消费、生活娱乐中感受艺术情调和创作乐趣，增进游客的体验值。

5大优势助推集聚区发展

宋庄文化产业集聚区的布局由两心、两轴和五区组成。两心是指市政金融商服核心和文娱会展休闲核心；两轴一个是东西的京榆旧路发展轴，主要是建设商业设施和城市办公设施，这是宋庄城市发展的一条主轴和经济轴。第二个轴是南北的项目文化发展轴，主要是通过一些画廊、工作室、展馆等等文化设施来展示宋庄当代艺术文化的特色风貌，是一条文化轴。五大片区——包括艺术原创与展示交易区、会展休闲产业区、动漫网游产业区、创意设计产业区、居住和配套服务区。区域内具有的5大优势，对于四大支柱产业的发展无疑将起到积极的推动作用。

首先是交通优势，集聚区距天安门24公里、距首都机场只有13公里，从宋庄新修的道路15分钟的车程就可以进入到北京首都国际机场3号航站楼。区域内公路交通非常密集，道路有六环路、京哈路、京榆路，轨道交通有从平安大街、京朝阳北路进入通州的地铁6号线支线，这条地铁的修通将为整个通州的发展带来巨大的潜力。

集聚区的生态环境的优势明显。集聚区近邻三条河，它的东面是温榆河、西面是潮白河、中间是运河，周边还有三个高尔夫球场和亚洲最大的赛马场，生态环境优势明显。

《北京城市总体规划（2004年—2020年）》中，通州新城是优先发展的新城之一，其规划优势将逐渐显现。集聚区作为新城一个重要的城市功能区完整预留大量的产业地区，同时配备了供电设施用品，拥有如此规模且非常集中的文化创意产业用地在北京市是不多见的，而且土地成本也相对比较低，这是规划的优势。

近年来，北京市对文化创意产业的扶持政策有目共睹，每年市政府都会拿出5亿元资金扶持文化创意产业，为集聚区的发展起到了非常积极的作用。集聚区内原创艺术家的资源优势日益显现。从1993年至今在宋庄生活创作的艺术家们，从最初的十几个人目前已经发展到2500多人，人员的构成由过去单纯的架上画家、艺术评论家，延伸到雕塑家、摄影家、行为艺术家、观念艺术家、独立制片人、音乐人、自由作家等等众多的艺术门类。宋庄艺术家在当代中国乃至世界艺术的影响力迅速壮大，其作品在中外艺术界声名鹊起，认知度日益提高，如此众多的原创艺术家集聚在国内外也是不多见的。

7年实现营业收入20亿元

宋庄原创艺术和卡通产业集聚区发展的总体目标是，从目前宋庄已有的艺术家群体和三辰卡通这两大稀缺资源出发，以内容原创为基础，以土地开发和基础设施建设为依托，以吸引创意产业大项目入区建设为重点，形成富有特色、效益显著、带动力强的文化创意产业价值链和社会文化资源集聚的产学研创意集群。经过5—7年的时间，着力打造在首都乃至全国有重要影响力的“两大中心、两大基地”。两大中心即艺术原创与展示交易中心和文化休闲娱乐中心，两大基地即创意设计基地和动漫网游产业基地，最终成为在国际上具有典范性意义的世界一流的文化创意社区。

2010年以前，将在一期范围内达到“九通一平”；文化创意产业营业收入在2007年基础上年均递增20%，2010年实现8亿元，文化创意产业形成的税收总额突破5000万元。在2015年，完成产业配套、完善功能，文化创意产业营业收入继续保持年均递增20%以上的增速，达到20亿元，文化创意产业形成的税收总额突破2亿元。