Residents and visitors are invited to embark on an art journey across Shekou as the 10th Shekou Mountain and Sea Art Festival officially opened on June 12.

Running through Aug. 30, this year’s festival, themed “Bingo! Shekou,” is held at iconic public spaces including Sea World, Taizi Bay Garden City Villas, Nanhai E-Cool, and the Sea World Culture and Arts Center (SWCAC).

Participants carry vibrant rainbow-hued letter props to create a lively, playful scene, blending public art, community engagement and creative cultural experience at SWCAC. Photos courtesy of the event organizers

Giant flip-flop sculptures and vibrant rainbow letter props spelling “Bingo” decorate the terrace walkway, forming a playful pop-art installation for the Shekou Mountain and Sea Art Festival.

The opening ceremony featured bold public art installations that contrast the coastal landscape. Artist Li Jinghu’s work, “Missing You,” illuminated the waters of Sea World with Morse code-inspired light signals. Tan Yingjie’s piece, “Nüwa Mending the Sky,” adds a touch of avant-garde artistry to the nearby neighborhood. These works are part of the “Walk Around Shekou” public art project, which debuted on the opening day.

Marking its 10th edition, the festival has grown from a single-venue exhibition into a multi-community cultural network. By bringing art out of traditional galleries and into streets, and neighborhood shops, the event aims to activate public spaces and connect art with daily life.

Tan Yingjie’s piece, “Nüwa Mending the Sky.”

A standout feature is the “Walk Around Shekou” artist-in-residence program, featuring 22 creators whose works are scattered across Shekou.

The “Street Wandering” pop-up series brings spontaneous performances, hands-on public workshops, and interactive experiences to local venues such as Fisherman’s Wharf, community restaurants, and schools — encouraging residents to join the creative process.

On the opening day, the “Wall Vibes” Cross-Strait Youth Graffiti Invitational was held at SWCAC, where street artist WHYYY (Huang Liwei) mentored 18 young artists from the mainland and Taiwan Province. The participants formed nine teams to create murals around the theme “Seeing Everything Between Mountains and Sea.” The works they created are displayed at the SWCAC through July 12. In addition, SWCAC L1 Art Shop is hosting artist YKON’s solo exhibition, “To the Dream Scale Offline,” through July 19.

An artist paints graffiti during the “Wall Vibes” Cross-Strait Youth Graffiti Invitational at SWCAC.

Throughout the summer, the festival will offer a lineup of family-friendly workshops, community writing sessions, street markets, jazz concerts, and pet-friendly interactive experiences across the Sea World and Taizi Bay areas.