"Culture connects hearts; art bridges the world." On June 1, the "Grand Tour — 2026 China Academy of Art 

Graduation Season · International Youth Art Dialogue" opened.

Embodying the "Grand Tour" ethos, the "2026 International Youth Art Dialogue" comprises three signature components — the Presidents' Dialogue on art education's mission in a global civilizational context, the Young Artists Dialogue, and the "One Art,Boundless Seas" international youth art exhibition — forming a complete cycle of pedagogy, practice, research, curation, and critical response. This open platform connects young artists, curators, educators, and academy leaders across borders, drawing participation from international students and young artists of over 50 nationalities and presidents from more than 50 international art schools.

International Art Academy Presidents' Dialogue

On the morning of June 2, the "International Art Academy Presidents' Dialogue" was held during the "Grand Tour — 2026 China Academy of Art Graduation Season." Presidents from art academies worldwide convened at CAA for deep, expert-level dialogue on five key themes: the enduring value of art amid AI advancements, the crises and opportunities in today's art education, institutional responses and educational visions, future directions in art pedagogy, and collaborative models among art academies.

International art academy leaders — including Riccardo Caldura (Venice Academy of Fine Arts, Italy), Armelle Nafti (ENSA Dijon, France), Eva-Maria Seng (Stuttgart Academy of Fine Arts, Germany), Ingo Offermanns (Hamburg University of Fine Arts, Germany), Angelo Maggi (IUAV Venice, Italy), Juan Pablo Aschner Rosselli (Universidad del Rosario, Colombia), Alejandra Celedón (Universidad Diego Portales, Chile), and Maja Rožman (University of Zagreb, Croatia) — engaged in dialogue with their Chinese counterparts: Shen Hao, Yu Xuhong, Jiao Xingtao, Fan Bo, Qiu Zhijie, Xu Qingfeng, Li Shuchun, Yu Yang, Feng Zhiguo, Zhang Lian, and Chen Lin. The discussions covered the five core themes, as well as youth exchange and international cooperation.

International Dialogue of Young Artists

On the morning of June 1, the "International Young Artists Dialogue" was held at the Xiangshan Campus. Young artists and scholars from Italy, the US, Finland, Singapore, South Korea, Seychelles, and Zimbabwe came together to discuss three key themes — "Contemporary Translation of Tradition and Global Dialogue," "Fluid Identities and Cross-Disciplinary Practices," and "Global Perceptions and Interpretations of the Chinese Scene" — drawing from their own creative experiences. Spanning seven countries and seven civilizational perspectives, the event wove together diverse artistic journeys into a cross-border international academic dialogue.

That afternoon, over 90 young scholars and artists from more than 20 countries joined three parallel roundtable discussions on the three core themes. Drawing on their cultural backgrounds and experiences in China, they explored multiple paths: some used ink, folklore, and traditional patterns to reinterpret classical art for global audiences; others worked with fiber, installation, and watercolor to create cross-border works along the Silk Road, exploring fluid artistic identities; and still others drew on their studies in China — through calligraphy, traditional costume, Taiji, and classical imagery — to offer local interpretations of Chinese culture with global resonance. Through art, these international youths learned from one another and grew together, contributing their energy to mutual learning among civilizations and cross-cultural exchange.

"International Youth Art Dialogue" Online Gallery

The "International Youth Art Dialogue" Online Gallery presents 89 works by 139 young artists from 14 international institutions, including the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris, L'École de Design Nantes Atlantique, ENSA Dijon, the Venice Academy of Fine Arts, IUAV Venice, Hamburg University of Fine Arts, Stuttgart Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia National Academy of Art, Repin Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, Universidad del Rosario, Universidad Diego Portales, and Silpakorn University. Through a digital platform, the young artists come together in a virtual space that brings together diverse cultures and creative perspectives, reflecting their thoughts and expressions across different cultural backgrounds. The online exhibition seeks to promote cross-cultural interaction and dialogue, exploring the simultaneity and diversity of contemporary art in a global context. It also expands the reach and participatory structure of the graduation exhibition through digital media, transforming it into an ongoing, open, and shared process of international art exchange.

Visit Online Exhibition：https://47.251.63.203/exhibition

"One Art,Boundless Seas" — 2026 International Youth Art Exhibition

On the afternoon of June 1, the ""One Art,Boundless Seas — 2026 International Youth Art Exhibition" opened at the CAA Crafts Museum. Guided by the belief that "art knows no borders, culture resonates," the exhibition offers an immersive in-person experience alongside 24/7 online access. The on-site showcase at the Crafts Museum brings together young artists from 52 countries, featuring 153 works in total.

"Roots and Reflections · Identity, Memory, and Historical Echoes"

This section explores personal experience, family memory, regional culture, and historical consciousness — examining how young artists continually reimagine their identities through cross-cultural exchange, observation, and experience, and how they translate their historical traditions into perceptible, translatable, and living cultural DNA.

"Image and World-Making · Perception, Imagination, and Possible Worlds"

Young artists create their own perceptual realms through imagination, fiction, and cross-media exploration. Turning away from grand narratives, they find inspiration in everyday routines, small incidents, and dreams — offering responses to reality that are light, poetic, or playfully humorous.

"Inquiring into Things, Creating the New · Technology, Materials, and Value Reimagined"

This section explores how digital technology, media installations, and new materials are redefining the creation, viewing, and valuation of contemporary art and design. Through these tools, young artists reconsider artistic value, image authenticity, tech ethics, and humanity's place in a technological world — engaging directly with the theme of "Contemporary Youth Art and the Future."