The "Shanghai Suzhou River Urban Public Art Collection" will be officially launched on September 23rd. This event is hosted by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and Putuo District People's Government, and undertaken by Putuo District Culture and Tourism Bureau. The aim of this event is to promote the construction of Shanghai as a socialist international cultural metropolis and a world-renowned tourist city, and to make the public space along the Suzhou River a vehicle for living aesthetics, distinctive culture and sharing among citizens.

The high value of the waterfront and the high quality of life together constitute the new era of Putuo's style. The "Shanghai Suzhou River Urban Public Art Collection" is open to art enthusiasts from all over the world and seeks public artworks (including installations, sculptures, landscape miniatures, murals, environmental art, etc.) as well as photography and paintings. Works should be themed on red, industrial, Shanghai style and fashion, and are required to incorporate elements that highlight the Suzhou River and show its cultural heritage. Some of the winning entries will be displayed in the public space along the Putuo section of the Suzhou River in the future, fully demonstrating the theme of "Waterfront Linkage, People Sharing", building a more beautiful Suzhou River shoreline and creating a richer cultural travel experience, thus creating a higher quality of urban life. The call for entries for this event will close on 31 December 2022.

In recent years, an increasing number of artists have moved away from the confines of museums and art centers and are consciously exploring ways to integrate their artworks into the urban landscape, nature and public events. Entries should be in keeping with the current state of the Suzhou River and the surrounding landscape, and have contemporary spatial design significance while interpreting the unique culture of the area. The work should express elements related to the Suzhou River, and preferably be creative, aesthetic, interactive and environmentally friendly. The work should focus on the riparian area of the Putuo section of the Suzhou River, including the riverside walkway, green parks and public service areas. It is also required to submit content including analysis of the current situation of the site, design concept, layout, rendering of intentions and material analysis. The selection of materials should focus on low carbon, pollution control and noise reduction (the content of the work, if it involves sound, light and electricity, must meet the requirements of Shanghai Landscape Lighting), must be both daytime and nighttime viewing, and must not damage the original landscape or original components.

Photography and painting are the most direct ways in which the public can participate in the creation of urban space. The call for entries requires photographs, either single or group, including comparisons of old and new photos, stories told by the public, and examples of stories. There is no limit to the form of painting, such as watercolour, gouache, oil painting, cartoons, children's drawings, etc.

With the gradual connection of the Suzhou River shoreline, a series of artistic, cultural and creative landmarks such as M50 Creative Park, Tian’an Thousand Trees, Chuangxiang Tower, Shanghai Children's Library, and Suzhou River Industrial Civilization Exhibition Hall are continuously presented, showing the development of Putuo speed. Brand events such as the "Banma Suhe" Cultural Tourism Festival, the Shanghai International MCN Conference and Quality Life Live Festival, and the E-sports Shanghai National Championships continue to highlight the new heights of Putuo's cultural construction. Centering on the creation of a world-class "urban cultural life and leisure belt" in Suzhou River, the "Crown of the Suzhou River" urban cultural life block, the "Left Bank of the Suzhou River" art parent-child experience area, the Zhenru-Caoyang Humanities Performance Exhibition Area, and the continuous optimization of the spatial layout of "one belt and four zones" in the Taopu Urban Ecotourism Area has enabled the people to share the beautiful fruits of development and construction.

Currently, Putuo District is increasing its efforts to integrate into the construction of Shanghai's socialist international cultural metropolis and world-renowned tourism city, actively participating in the creation of a world-class "urban cultural life and leisure belt" on the Suzhou River, and making a new and greater contribution to the construction of Putuo as a "vibrant area for innovative development and quality living".