Farmers creating art in China helping tourism
A program that helps farmers brush up on painting skills is becoming a tourist attraction.
A group of farmers-turned-artists in Jinshan county is bringing prominence to folk art. Home to 15 households, the Jinshan village is located 80 kilometres from downtown Shanghai.
There are some 70 such communities dotted across China as local governments are keen to set up these groups to bring in tourism dollars.
In 2006, one of the painting villages got US$1.2 million to help peasant painters set up shop.
Hu Bo Fang, vice general manager, Shanghai Fengjing Historical Town Tourist Developing Company, said: ‘In 2006, we invited them to live in the village for free. We did not charge them or take a commission from their sales of artwork.
‘We did not make a profit from it. But after half a year, when sales got better and tourists started to visit, we started to charge them rent.’
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Source: Channel News Asia
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