On 1 October 2025, the Gannat International Art Festival of France, with a history of over 50 years, grandly opened in the Chenghuang Temple district of the ancient city of Taiyuan.

During the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, more than 260 artists from 15 countries, along with 12 performance groups, will present a cultural feast combining global intangible cultural heritage and ethnic customs to local citizens and visitors. The Taiyuan·Gannat International Art Festival is jointly organised by Taiyuan Longcheng Development Investment Group, Taiyuan Radio and Television Station, and Beijing Huayi Wuzhou International Cultural Exchange Co., Ltd.

This event has invited 12 performance groups from 15 countries and is supported by a professional translation team of 30 people, allowing the people of Shanxi to experience authentic world cultures up close while providing a new platform for Shanxi culture to reach the international stage.

Mr Zhao Yachao, Chairman of Beijing Huayi Wuzhou International Cultural Exchange Co., Ltd., said in an interview: "For this edition of the Art Festival, the scale of invited countries is unprecedented, and so is the number of performers. Moreover, this year's festival is not limited to stage performances but focuses more on interactive exchange and experience, presenting the output and exchange of multiple cultures."

The event is hosted by the World Culture Association, founded in 1973, whose core mission is to inherit and protect global intangible cultural heritage, currently gathering intangible cultural resources and ethnic performance projects from over 80 countries worldwide. Previously, the Gannat International Art Festival has been successfully held twice in Taiyuan, Shanxi; 2025 marks the third year of the festival in Taiyuan, having already attracted over 300 international artists from 23 countries including France, Italy, Spain, Poland, and Croatia, becoming an important bridge for cultural exchange between China and abroad.

The grand opening of the Taiyuan·Gannat International Art Festival on 1 October 2025 will help Taiyuan cultivate an international, youthful and regular performance city image, promoting this ancient city further across the nation and globally.