Today, the role of artists within the urban cultural ecosystem extends far beyond simply ‘creating artworks’. They are not only producers of art, but also initiators of cultural relationships, users of space, and an integral part of the urban cultural mechanism. The ‘Artists’ Treat’ project aims to highlight and draw attention to the diversity of the artistic ecosystem.
‘Artists’ Treat’ invited a total of 10 artists and 1 scholar to curate 11 exhibition modules, with 114 artists participating in the exhibitions; the documentation module featured archives from over 60 institutions. The ‘Artists’ Treat’ Contemporary Art Week stood out amongst more than 200 events held during the 2025 Shanghai Art Season, becoming the third-largest contemporary art event. It also garnered exceptional acclaim. (The top two events were the Shanghai Biennale and the West Bund 021 Art Fair.) Word of mouth on the opening day spread rapidly—the atmosphere at ‘Artists’ Treat’ felt like a return to the art scene of over a decade ago, with artists taking the initiative, acting with unbridled freedom and a wild, spontaneous spirit.
The ‘Artists’ Treat’ Contemporary Art Week was held at Lagrené Primary School (École Primaire de Lagrené), located at the junction of Taicang Road and Ji’an Road (Pu’an Road) in Huangpu District, Shanghai. It is a modern educational building of significant historical value. Founded in 1935, the school was formerly known as the ‘Second Chinese Primary School’, established by the Municipal Council of the French Concession and designed by the renowned Lai An & Co. The school building features a T-shaped floor plan and stands five storeys high; it is a significant testament to Shanghai’s modern educational history and is designated as a heritage-protected building in Huangpu District.
In our cultural imagination, artists are often confined to the role of ‘creators’—they produce works, participate in exhibitions, and wait to be seen. In reality, however, many artists have long since begun to proactively expand their roles. They are not only creators but can also be curators, organisers, founders of institutions, or even promoters of certain cultural practices. Such actions, arising from their own circumstances, are not deliberate but rather a natural, spontaneous and ongoing cultural practice.
Every artist contributes to the construction of the art system in their own way. By setting themes, organising events and activating spaces, they propose new ways in which art can take place. ‘ ‘Inviting guests’, in this context, is a symbolic gesture. It serves to express initiative and the diversity of creative practice. Artists no longer wait to be assigned roles; instead, they organise themselves, extend invitations, define relationships and bring culture to life.
Through this project, we hope to show the audience that the role of the artist can extend from ‘artistic creation’ to ‘self-mobilisation’; that art is not merely an inevitable outcome, but also a fluid interplay of diverse relationships and structures.
