Rural youth art festival held for villagers in central China county

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 25, 2024 shows children performing during a rural youth art festival in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Zhao Zhongzhi)

NINGYUAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- A rural youth art festival was held at an art and culture exchange center in Ningyuan County of central China's Hunan Province on Sunday, where over 30 children from Youyujing Village and Duoshan Village of the county enjoyed various activities such as singing songs of Yao ethnic group and performing plays in costumes designed and made by themselves.

In 2016, Zhou Yan, who graduated from an academy of fine arts, established the art and culture exchange center in her husband Liu Xiu's hometown, Dayuan hamlet of Youyujing Village, hoping to help rural left-behind children through art education.

In recent years, the art and culture exchange center has gained social attention. In addition to daily art classes, the center also invite volunteers from many colleges and universities during winter and summer vacations to provide children with dance, vocal music, and literary creation classes.

Children and teachers walk past a wall with paintings on it in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

People look at handicrafts made by children from an art and culture exchange center in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

A child displays a design during a rural youth art festival in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

Children and the elderly perform a chorus during a rural youth art festival in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

Children of an art and culture exchange center play a game with teachers after supper in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

Children sing a song with the elderly of Yao ethnic group during a rural youth art festival in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

Children of an art and culture exchange center have supper in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

Children from an art and culture exchange center write verses on stones in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Zhongzhi)

Children prepare for an opera performance during a rural youth art festival in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Zhongzhi)

Teachers from an art and culture exchange center establish an installation in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)