The 2020 NOW Festival recently closed at the 1862 Theater with an awards ceremony and forum on children’s theater and innovative art education. As the first international arts festival for young people in China, the event honored seven children’s plays, from more than 160 candidates, for their originality. Master classes and art salons also gathered domestic and foreign art groups, scholars and audiences to share their opinions on the development of theater for youngsters. Eric Booth, a veteran theater artist and president of the International Teaching Artist Collaborative, believes that artists who educates are the future of the arts and the hope of our shared humanity as well. “Imagination infuses the artists who create the remarkable artworks in the NOW Festival, and that awakens young, and not so young, audiences around the world,” he said. “Preparing young people to find their voices and engage creatively in their world is one of the most useful things we can do.” Art Space for Kids, a major organizer of the festival, announced a cooperation with Mailive to develop more theatrical content. It will also collaborate with China Children and Teenagers’ Fund to present 100 charity performances for 3,000 children with hearing impairment next year. Original theatrical productions created by children will also have the chance to debut for a wide audience.