A total of 109 performances, from artistes around the world, were showcased during the monthlong festival, attracting more than 300,000 people, according to the Center for Shanghai Inter-national Arts Festival yesterday, a state-run organization in charge of the annual event.

"The shows were chosen from five different continents - featuring classical, contemporary and traditional art - for audiences at all levels," said Chen Shenglai, the center's president.

Started in 1999, the festival aims to promote a cultural image of the metropolis which has rocketed to a higher status in business and finance. Though the event on the whole was a success, some things still need to be worked out and there were some handicaps, officials said.

The center, despite being a "government department," had to give way to commercial considerations and operate the festival in a "marketing way," which was cumbersome.

Making money became a "necessary task" and the center had to cast its net far and wide, including charging theaters and performing agencies 5-percent management fee on the whole earnings from the booking office and finding sponsors.

An advertising company was especially set up for raising funds, with more than 5 million yuan (US$602,409) raked up from two sponsors, the center revealed.

Critics, too, had their knives out for the event, saying that international-level festivals need an artistic director or producer to design the program since officials may be good at management but they cannot cope with the artistic aspects of the whole show.

"The center did a good job as far as appearances go, but the core should be quality rather than appearance," said Qian Shijin, president of the Shanghai Grand Theater.

Barry Plews, producer of the Australian Culture Week, said culturally, the city needs to be pushed, rather than being catered to. Hence the need for an art festival, he added.

The festival's budget details should be made more trans-parent and programs should be announced well in advance so that the masses feel part of the event and not just idle onlookers, critics suggested.

(eastday.com December 2, 2002)