All the important activities for the First International Cultural Industry Fair (ICIF) to be held in Shenzhen from Nov. 18 to 22 have been confirmed, a press conference was told Tuesday (Oct. 19th).

The fair events are categorized into four sections such as exhibitions, transactions, forums and activities.

The exhibitions will cover digital radios and TV, international animated cartoons and cartoon games, selected Chinese calligraphy and paintings, China's world cultural heritage and historical cities, Chinese treasures and art works by contemporary masters, selected international press works and printing technology, selected international books and periodicals and mainstream media images. The cultural industry achievements made by the six districts of the city as well as the selected cultural and art works of Shenzhen will also be featured at the fair.

International big names such as News Corp., Sony and Panasonic will have displays at the digital TV industry exhibition.

The transactions will include cultural industry business matching service, auctions of TV and film plays, calligraphy and painting collections and antiques, sales of international fine art works, special tools and materials for calligraphy and painting, selected international books and house decorations. Some contract signing ceremonies involving Shenzhen's radio, film and TV group, press enterprises and Dafen Village will also be covered.

Forums will focus on cultural development strategy and global cultural industry development, as well as a Chinese media summit and a lecture featuring Ding Shaoguang, an outstanding artist in modern fine art.

The activities include a Chinese press cartoon expo, a TV host competition, a final contest for the world college student ambassador of peace, an international children's art festival, performances of international artists, a British film week, a one-man exhibition by Ding Shaoguang, a parade, an on-the-spot painting manifestion by 1,000 painters and a software design competition by college students. The first State-level cultural industry seminar sponsored by the Ministry of Culture will also be held during the fair.

So far, all exhibition booths have been booked. Some 655 enterprises have signed up to attend the fair, of which 102 enterprises are from overseas, accounting for 15.57 percent of the total exhibitors. The number of exhibition booths has reached 1,583, of which 270 are occupied by overseas exhibitors, accounting for 17 percent of the total.

Editor: Catherine