2024 Financial Support for Cultural and Creative Industry Development Projects in Shanghai

According to the management methods related to financial support for the development of the cultural and creative industries in Shanghai, this "Application Guide" has been formulated, and the matters relevant to applications for 2024 are explained as follows:

I. Support Scope

The financial support funds for the development of cultural and creative industries in Shanghai (hereinafter referred to as "cultural creativity funds") focus on deepening the construction of the "five centers," serving to enhance Shanghai’s "four major brands," supporting the construction of a socialist international cultural metropolis and the development of "City of Design," "City of Fashion," and "City of Brands." It focuses on major, critical, and fundamental segments of the cultural and creative industries, playing a guiding role in stimulating cultural innovation, creating vitality, and nurturing new cultural industry formats. The support scope includes all industries listed in the "Shanghai Cultural and Creative Industries Classification Table of Contents (2022)," which encompasses media and arts, industrial design, architectural design, fashion creativity, internet and related services, software and information technology services, advertising and exhibition services, leisure and entertainment, cultural and creative investment and operation, consulting and intermediary services, cultural equipment manufacturing and sales, and production and sales of cultural and creative assistance supplies. To comprehensively implement the "Several Opinions on Accelerating the Innovation and Development of the City’s Cultural and Creative Industries," the support focuses on the innovative development of eight key fields: film and television, performance arts, animation games, online culture, creative design, publishing, artwork transactions, and cultural equipment.

(I) Ongoing Support Projects

Ongoing support projects focus on supporting cultural and creative industry projects that combine social and economic benefits, have good development prospects, industry leadership, directional significance, autonomous innovation capability, and significant competitive advantages.

1. Support for platform construction projects centered around the element market. Support for the construction and promotional application of public service platforms that provide information services, industrialized services, and mass innovation services for the development of the cultural and creative industries.

2. Support for various projects that use new technology applications as a means for cross-industry integration of cultural creativity with relevant industries and coordinated linkage of culture, sports, tourism, and commerce. Persist in reform and innovation, strengthen digital empowerment, vigorously develop the digital economy, and support the integration of new modes, new formats, and new technologies to enhance creativity and innovation capabilities in digital projects. Support deep integration projects in the fields of culture, sports, tourism, and commerce, innovate cultural, sports, tourism, and commerce service platform construction, and achieve resource sharing and complementary advantages. Support projects that use cultural creativity to improve and optimize the consumption environment, promoting the diversification, quality enhancement, and brand creation of the consumption industry. Encourage cultural and creative enterprises to invest in original content production and design capability enhancement.

3. Support for the development, protection, and utilization of intellectual property in the field of cultural creativity. Support the application of intellectual property in the cultural creativity industry, encouraging enterprises to construct and develop fundamental, platform-oriented, and leading copyright technology platforms, transaction platforms, and application platforms.

4. Support for cultural and creative application and empowerment projects. Support various industry projects that implement central work through cultural creativity and design services, drive industry innovation development, create urban vitality spaces, optimize urban public services, meet the people's aspirations for a better life, and collectively forge city brands.

5. Support for the display, promotion, and exchange collaboration of cultural and creative industry achievements. Support cultural and creative enterprises in exploring overseas markets and expanding international influence. Support relevant projects that utilize the innovation practice opportunities in the China (Shanghai) Free Trade Pilot Zone and the "five new cities."

6. Support for the construction of cultural and creative talent teams. Focusing on human creativity as the core, support the construction of master workshops, support social training institutions to conduct cultural and creative training, support the integration of culture and education, and accelerate the training of specialized practical talent and composite management talent urgently needed for industry development.

7. Other projects that the cultural and creative industry advancement leadership team (hereinafter referred to as the "leadership team") determines need focused support.

Ongoing support projects should be projects currently under construction, starting no earlier than January 1, 2023, and completing the project construction content and submitting the project acceptance application and relevant materials before December 31, 2025. For specific requirements, see attachment 1.

(II) Achievement Support Projects

Support is provided for projects with good social and economic benefits in fields such as performance, artwork, esports, cultural consumption and cultural creativity product development, animation, internet audio-visual, cultural service export trade, press and publication, design innovation, city-level cultural creativity parks, and cultural creativity financial services.

1. Performance. Support is extended to theater performances, development of new performance spaces, integration of performance with business and travel consumption, and development of private troupes. Professional institutions are entrusted to build platforms and provide professional services for performance entities. Particular attention is given to major world performances, performance projects in the five new cities, and multi-industry integration development projects involving culture, commerce, and tourism.

2. Artwork. Centered around the brand building of the Shanghai International Artwork Trade Week, support is provided for local art fairs, galleries, and artwork auction houses, and for innovative project construction during the trade week.

3. Esports. Support is granted for industry-influential large-scale esports brand activities held in the city, well-operated esports venues, and authoritative esports industry research and analysis results.

4. Cultural Consumption and Cultural Creativity Product Development. Support is given for the construction of cultural consumption clusters that are highly aggregated with cultural displays, entertainment tourism, and new types of consumption, as well as for the construction of nighttime cultural consumption projects with good market prospects, multiple formats, and a vibrant atmosphere. Support is also provided for cultural creativity product design development, display promotion, and the construction of transaction platforms. Encouragement is given to hold related festivals, exhibitions, and competitions, and for cultural and cultural relics institutions to collaborate with social entities in developing and producing cultural creativity products.

5. Animation. Support is provided for local production of outstanding original animation content, enhancement of animation technology, development of animation IP derivatives, and major animation activities.

6. Internet Audio-Visual. Support is provided for the city’s boutique internet audio-visual content projects, enhancement of high-tech audio-visual content technology, and the hosting of the city’s internet audio-visual brand activities.

7. Cultural Service Export Trade. Support is extended to promote excellent traditional Chinese culture through the overseas trade, performance, broadcasting, and commercial exhibitions of animation, artwork, performance, and audio-visual programs.

8. Press and Publication. Support is provided for the publication of themed and outstanding original books, construction of the Shanghai Academic and Professional Publishing Center, support for the Shanghai book publishing brand, transformation of journal publishing, construction of distribution channels and physical bookstores, innovation in the printing industry, support for nationwide reading brand activities, and integration and innovation of online and digital publishing, copyright industry, and international communication.

9. Design Innovation. Encouragement is given for enterprises and institutions in Shanghai to enhance their design innovation capabilities, undertake design innovation projects, and use design to lead and empower industry development, serving the people’s aspirations for a better life.

10. Cultural Creativity Parks, Demonstration Buildings, and Spaces. Support is provided for the construction of city-level cultural creativity industry parks, demonstration buildings, and demonstration spaces, public service platforms, offering specialized services, and hosting high-end exhibitions and industry exchanges.

11. Cultural Creativity Financial Services. Encouragement is given to cultural creativity enterprises to adopt market-based financing methods for financing, and interest subsidy support is provided for cultural creativity enterprises that obtain loans. Achievement support projects should be completed within the period from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023 (excluding internet audio-visual activities, unpublished book projects, and projects involving the construction of platforms and professional services entrusted to professional institutions for performance categories). For specific requirements, see attachment 2.

(III) Industry Research Projects

Cultural creativity funds support industry research, industry report preparation, and development planning formulation relevant to the cultural creativity industry. In accordance with the spirit of national and municipal relevant documents and the needs of the "14th Five-Year Plan" advancement, the focus industry research projects for 2024 are outlined in the Table of Contents:

1. Research on the current situation of cultural consumption in Shanghai, regional driving benefits, and promotion measures.

2. Research on the current situation, trends, difficulties, and promotion strategies for the coordinated development of culture, sports, tourism, and commerce.

3. Research on the current situation, trends, policies, and promotion of development for new domestic and foreign cultural formats.

4. Research on the current situation and strategies for cultural creativity industry knowledge property pledge financing.

5. Research on the current situation and development modes of Shanghai's cultural creativity parks.

6. Exploration of paths for industry-education integration in the field of cultural creativity.

7. Research on Shanghai's fashion consumption goods industry "Three Products" strategy.

8. Shanghai Fashion Consumption Goods Industry Development Report (2024).

9. Research on the path for creative design to empower Shanghai's new industrialization development.

10. Research on the path for creative design to optimize Shanghai's urban public services.

11. Shanghai Industrial Culture Research Report.

12. 2024 Shanghai Cultural Creativity Industry Development Report.

Industry research projects must submit research results by December 31, 2024. For specific requirements, see attachment 1.

The same applicant entity may apply for the above three categories of projects separately.

II. Support Method

Cultural creativity funds are arranged to be used through methods such as grants and loan interest subsidies. The amount of support funds is determined based on the project's functional positioning, service method, and total amount of funds invested.

(I) Ongoing Support Projects

The method of grants is adopted. The municipal funds support amount for a single project does not exceed RMB 3 million, and the combined support proportion of the municipal and district levels does not exceed 50% of the total investment. For national-level cultural creativity industry projects, for major projects that have a key and comprehensive impact on the development of the city's cultural creativity industry, as determined by the leadership team, the support amount and proportion may be appropriately increased.

(II) Achievement Support Projects

For those adopting the grant method, the special funds support amount is determined based on the project's functional positioning, service method, and total amount of funds invested.

For those adopting the loan interest subsidy method, for cultural creativity enterprises that have obtained credit funds, upon review, the total municipal interest subsidy for a single project will not exceed 50% of the total interest amount based on the People's Bank of China’s loan market quoted rate (LPR) standard.

(III) Industry Research Projects

The grant method is adopted.

(IV) Support Matters

1. Priority support matters. Priority support is given to national-level cultural creativity industry projects; major projects that have a key and comprehensive impact on the development of the city's cultural creativity industry; district-level funds 1:1 matching projects; projects that have already received various types of social capital investments such as risk investment and investment-loan linkage, under equal conditions.

2. Matters not supported. Applicant entities that have not carried out acceptance or failed acceptance for cultural creativity funds supported projects, or those disqualified under Article 23 (Violation of Responsibilities) of the cultural creativity funds management methods, or those with major legal violations within the past three years, are not supported. If the same project has already received support from other municipal special funds, it will not receive repeated support.

3. Film industry matters. Matters involving film, such as topic incubation, screenplay writing, focus filming, excellence awards, post-production, technology renovation, distribution and screening, and talent cultivation, are supported by the Shanghai Culture Development Foundation and are not within the application scope of these funds.

III. Application Conditions and Application Materials

(I) Ongoing Support Projects and Industry Research Projects

Applicant entities for ongoing support projects should submit materials such as the "Shanghai Municipal Financial Support Funds Application Form (Ongoing Support Projects)," and applicant entities for industry research projects should submit materials such as the "Shanghai Municipal Financial Support Funds Application Form (Industry Research Projects)." Specific application conditions and application material requirements can be found in attachment 1: "Detailed Rules for Applications for Ongoing Support and Industry Research Projects."

(II) Achievement Support Projects

Applicant entities for achievement support projects should submit the "Shanghai Municipal Financial Support Application Form for Cultural Creativity Industry Development (Achievement Support Projects)" among other materials. Specific application conditions and related requirements for application materials can be found in attachment 2: "Detailed Rules for Application of Achievement Support Projects."

(III) Uniform Requirements for Application Materials

1. All materials must be submitted online; attachments submitted online must be in PDF format, clearly legible, and each document must not exceed 5MB, although multiple documents may be submitted.

2. Ongoing support and industry research projects do not require the submission of printed materials.

3. For achievement support projects, two sets of printed materials must be submitted, with the cover bearing the seal of the applicant entity, the opinions column of the application entity stamped and signed by the legal representative, and must be page-sealed. Print on both sides on A4 paper, using ordinary paper for the cover, and bind on the left side into a booklet (printed materials are non-returnable). The content of the printed materials must be consistent with the online application materials and include all attachments.

IV. Work Workflow

(I) Online Application

1. Log in to the "GOVERNMENT ONLINE-OFFLINE SHANGHAI" portal (http://www.shanghai.gov.cn) using a corporate one-card pass or an electronic business license, select "Government and Enterprise Service" to enter the "Efficient One-Stop Service" feature column, choose "Service Enterprise", click on "Municipal Support Funds Application" under "Enterprise Benefit Policy", and click on "Shanghai Municipal Promotion of Cultural Creativity Industry Development Financial Support Funds" to fill out online, submit relevant electronic materials, and save the downloaded corresponding application form (please ensure the system-generated application form PDF document has a watermark and is properly saved).

(If you have not registered an account yet, please first go to the "GOVERNMENT ONLINE-OFFLINE SHANGHAI" registration page to complete the registration.)

2. Project application period: February 6, 2024, to March 26, 2024 (system closes at 16:30 on March 26).

(II) Submission of Printed Materials for Achievement Support Projects

1. After completing the online application, print the "Shanghai Municipal Financial Support Application Form for Cultural Creativity Industry Development (Achievement Support Projects)" from the system, ensure the document has a watermark, sign and seal it, and submit it along with the required attachments.

2. Times and addresses for acceptance of printed materials:

(1) For performance, artwork, esports, cultural consumption, and cultural creativity product development, animation, internet audio-visual, cultural service export trade projects: March 27, 2024, to March 30, 2024, from 9:00-11:30 AM and 1:00-4:30 PM; at No. 2419, Zhongshan South Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Radio and Television, Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics) government affairs service center.

(2) For press and publication, design innovation, cultural creativity park, demonstration buildings and spaces, cultural creativity finance service projects: March 27, 2024, to March 29, 2024, from 9:00-11:30 AM and 1:00-4:30 PM; at Building 14, No. 800, Changde Road, Jing'an District.

Printed materials must be submitted on-site, late submissions will not be accepted, and mailing or courier methods are not accepted.

(III) Review Workflow

1. Review workflow for ongoing support projects. The district cultural creativity office, in conjunction with the relevant industry management departments, will conduct district-level reviews of applications within the region, determine the matching ratio for the projects, and then the municipal cultural creativity office, in conjunction with industry management departments and relevant departments, will organize experts to review the projects that passed the district-level review. The results, once approved by the municipal cultural creativity leadership team, will be announced to the public.

2. Review workflow for achievement support projects. The municipal cultural creativity office, in conjunction with industry management departments and relevant departments, will organize experts to review the projects. The results, once approved by the municipal cultural creativity leadership team, will be announced to the public.

3. Review workflow for industry research projects. The municipal cultural creativity office will organize relevant experts to review the schemes of industry research projects submitted for application. The results, once approved by the municipal cultural creativity leadership team, will be announced to the public.

(IV) Disbursement Workflow

1. For ongoing support and industry research projects, support funds, once reviewed and approved, are disbursed in two installments. The first installment is 60% of the planned total support amount, and the remaining balance is disbursed after the project construction is completed and has passed acceptance. For entities registered after January 1, 2023, and those with poor performance capabilities, funds are disbursed in a single installment upon the completion and acceptance of the project construction, depending on the actual situation of the project construction entity.

2. For achievement support projects, support funds, once reviewed and approved, are disbursed in a single installment within the support standard limit.

V. Assessment and Supervision

Project entities must strictly adhere to the relevant regulations of the cultural creativity funds management methods and the content of their project applications, ensuring that the support funds received are used exclusively for their designated purposes without unauthorized modification of fund usage. If there is a special reason requiring the modification of fund usage or the termination of the project, it must be approved by the municipal office of cultural creativity.

The municipal office of cultural creativity will conduct performance evaluations in accordance with the city’s financial funds performance management regulations, in collaboration with the Municipal Finance Bureau and relevant industry management departments.

The municipal office of cultural creativity and the Municipal Finance Bureau have the right to supervise and inspect the implementation and fund usage of supported projects. For projects that violate the usage regulations of cultural creativity funds or perform poorly, the municipal office of cultural creativity and the Municipal Finance Bureau reserve the right to modify, terminate, or reclaim support funds and will legally pursue the administrative and legal responsibilities of the relevant departments, entities, and personnel involved.

VI. Consultation Methods

1. For ongoing support and industry research projects:

Phone: 32509315-807, 32509316-808.

2. For achievement support projects:

Performance: 23118161;

Artwork: 23118166;

Esports: 23118153;

Cultural consumption and cultural creativity product development: 23118170;

Animation: 23118172, 23118171;

Internet audio-visual: 23118231, 23118309 (for high-tech audio-visual projects);

Cultural service export trade: 23118172;

Consultation on application platform technology for performance, artwork, esports, cultural consumption, and cultural creativity product development, animation, internet audio-visual, cultural service export trade: 13761601911;

Press and publication: 24022158 (for international communication), 64370176 ext. 8409 (for book publishing), 8401 (for distribution channels, printing industry, nationwide reading brand activities), 6666 (for online publishing), 8305 (for copyright industry), 8505 (for journal publishing);

Design innovation, cultural creativity parks, demonstration buildings and spaces, cultural creativity financial service: 32509315-807, 32509316-808.

3. For "GOVERNMENT ONLINE-OFFLINE SHANGHAI" technology consultation

Phone: 38919099.

4. Consultation period: February 6, 2024, to March 26, 2024, Monday through Friday, 9:00-11:30 AM and 1:30-4:30 PM (excluding legal holidays).

VII. Declaration

1. Applicant entities must ensure the authenticity, accuracy, and completeness of their application materials, adhere strictly to the facts, and must not make false applications.

2. The municipal office of cultural creativity has never authorized any institution or individual to act as an agent for the application of special funds. Project entities should apply independently. The municipal office of cultural creativity will strictly adhere to relevant standards and procedures when accepting applications. If any institution or individual falsely claims to represent the municipal office of cultural creativity or its personnel to collect fees from applicant entities, informants are urged to report this to the municipal office of cultural creativity.

3. This "Application Guide" is subject to interpretation by the municipal office of cultural creativity.