FOR this year's annual Shanghai Citizen Arts Festival, organizers in charge of Baoshan District will look to pique the interest in Chinese arts and culture among people of all age groups.

When the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe performed as part of the opening act for the festival on March 26, it attracted a significant number of young people. College student Xiao Zhao was one of them.

"I started having an interest in the art of opera since junior high. I like all aspects of it, from music, to costumes and singing. This performance was a great artistic experience for me," she said.

In addition to the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe, other groups, like the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, the Shanghai Huaiju Opera Troupe and the Hubei Drama Art Theatre Huangmei Opera Troupe will also perform. The opera performances at the festival will continue until December this year.

In an effort to make the event interesting for children and adolescents as well, organizers have invited the Shanghai Puppet Troupe to perform "Mulan" and the Shanghai Children's Art Theatre to perform "Titanic." The classic ballet "Swan Lake" will also be shown.

Peking Opera performer Wang Peiyu, renowned for her laosheng (old male) roles, will also be performing in Baoshan.

This year, Baoshan will introduce a new event — the "Shanghai Folk Song and Tales" program, which features traditional folk songs, exhibitions, performances and talks.

The district will direct resources into promoting culture among its various districts, streets and villages.

Restoration works will start at local museums, including the Shanghai Songhu Battle Memorial Museum, which will be expanded.

Twenty new cultural villages will also be built to further showcase the different aspects of culture and to provide better facilities to improve the quality of cultural activities for residents.

This year, the district will host two separate festivals.

In addition to the Shanghai Citizen Arts Festival, Baoshan is also hosting the annual Shanghai Baoshan International Children's Literature Reading Season. The reading event is now in its third year. It features an array of international books and reading activities for children.

This year's reading event, held at Baoshan Library, will emphasize Chinese children's literature. It will feature more than 100 activities such as reading sessions, literature lessons and presentations to facilitate an international exchange platform for children.

Ultimately, there are plans for Baoshan Library to be established as a base for Chinese children's literature.

In recent years, Baoshan has been trying to cultivate better reading habits among families and educational institutions in rural areas. Organizers plan to popularize reading by introducing reading-based activities.

Also, at the reading season, organizers are looking to further enhance the art scene. One of the key goals is to host and introduce local and international high-quality dance performances; art lectures; cultural centers; guided art tours and art exhibitions — all aimed at piquing the interest of the younger generation.

Baoshan boasts a rich cultural history that can be found at certain public venues. Visitors to the festivals are encouraged to explore the district to tap into its rich history.

Interested readers can download 文化云 ("Culture Cloud") APP to find out more or to reserve tickets for the festivals, or go on the WeChat account 文化宝山 ("Culture Baoshan").