Shenzhen's Comprehensive Measures to Boost High-Quality Development of Culture, Sports, and Entertainment Industries

Source: Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality

To fully implement national, provincial, and municipal decisions on economic and social development, accelerate the high-quality development of culture, sports, and entertainment industries (hereinafter referred to as "culture and sports entertainment industries") in Shenzhen, and better meet citizens' spiritual, cultural, and fitness needs, the Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality has formulated these measures based on the "Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Innovative Development of Cultural Industries" and "Several Measures on Accelerating the Innovative Development of Sports Industry," in line with the actual development of the city's culture and sports entertainment industries.

1.    Shenzhen will encourage industry enterprises to be included in the statistical system. For cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises with the potential to be upgraded to "above-scale", efforts will be made to strengthen the cultivation, guidance, service and dynamic operation monitoring of enterprise entry. A one-time reward of 100,000 RMB will be given to enterprises that are first included in the "above-scale" cultural, sports and entertainment enterprise database of Shenzhen. Shenzhen will support large enterprises to expand their cultural, sports and entertainment businesses and establish specialised cultural, sports and entertainment subsidiaries. Institutions or enterprises with the ability to provide cultural, sports and entertainment services are encouraged to register as legal entities and provide such services. A one-time reward of 2% of the annual revenue, up to a maximum of 1 million RMB, will be given to independent legal entities that are first included in the "above-scale" cultural, sports and entertainment enterprise database of Shenzhen and have an annual revenue exceeding 20 million RMB (inclusive) in the same year.

2.    Shenzhen will support enterprises to grow bigger and stronger. The cultural, sports and entertainment industries will be supported in using digital technologies to develop new consumption scenarios and provide digital cultural products, and "above-scale" cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises will be encouraged to grow bigger and stronger through optimizing the supply of cultural products and creating cultural IP. Enterprises will be supported to explore new businesses, cultivate new business forms, and implement new models, and enhance their ability to innovate and develop. For cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises that ranked among the top 30 in Shenzhen in terms of annual operating revenue last year and had an annual operating revenue growth rate of at least twice the average growth rate of the cultural, sports and entertainment industries in Shenzhen that year, or had an annual operating revenue growth rate exceeding 100% last year, they will be given a reward of up to 1 million RMB based on 1% of the increase in annual operating revenue.

3.    Shenzhen will focus on key areas and links of the cultural, sports and entertainment industries, increase the efforts to attract investment and introduce enterprises, and attract renowned domestic and foreign cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises to settle in Shenzhen or come to Shenzhen to develop their businesses. Support will be provided for renowned domestic and foreign cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises to settle in Shenzhen or establish subsidiaries and regional headquarters. For newly introduced leading domestic and foreign enterprises or related institutions whose first-year operating revenue exceeds 20 million RMB, a one-time reward of up to 2 million RMB will be given. A one-time reward of 100,000 RMB will be given to the units that have planned, promoted and assisted in successfully introducing the above-mentioned high-quality enterprises.

4.    Shenzhen will encourage the activation and enrichment of performance formats in various venues, and support the development of experiential, interactive, and immersive performing arts projects, to create innovative resident performances or experiential scenarios that deeply integrate cultural tourism. Shenzhen will formulate standards for the construction of new performance spaces, provide policy support for their establishment, and actively cultivate diverse performance spaces. For new performance spaces that meet the relevant standards and regulations, have had more than 100 performances and activities in the previous year, and have sold at least 100 tickets per show, a subsidy of up to 1 million RMB will be provided based on the actual number of shows.

5.    Shenzhen will support the organisation and introduction of commercial performing arts events. For events with single-show ticket sales exceeding 10,000 tickets and ticket revenue included in the local national economic statistics, subsidies will be provided based on the number and scale of performances held in Shenzhen the previous year. For events with single-show ticket sales of 10,000-20,000 tickets, a maximum subsidy of 200,000 RMB per show will be provided; for events with single-show ticket sales exceeding 20,000 tickets, a maximum subsidy of 250,000 RMB per show will be provided. The annual subsidy limit for the same organiser is 1 million RMB. Shenzhen will support the holding of large-scale and high-end sports events, and provide support in accordance with the relevant sports industry support policies.

6.    Shenzhen will increase the cultivation of performing arts and sports agencies, encourage and guide social forces to establish renowned domestic and foreign performing arts and sports agencies. A one-time reward of 1 million RMB will be given to performing arts and sports agencies whose annual revenue reaches 20 million RMB for the first time.

7.    Shenzhen will strengthen services for cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises, promptly grasp the industry development dynamics, and coordinate and promote the resolution of problems encountered by enterprises in their development. Shenzhen will deepen the "decentralisation, regulation, and service" reform, optimize the establishment of cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises and the approval process for cultural and sports activities and events, simplify the approval procedures, and provide high-quality approval services. For new business forms and models that emerge in the development of the cultural, sports and entertainment industries, Shenzhen will implement prudent and inclusive supervision, encourage industry innovation, and will not impose administrative penalties on minor illegal acts that are promptly corrected and do not cause harm.

8.    Shenzhen will comprehensively utilise the relevant policies on the cultural and sports industries to increase support for the cultural, sports and entertainment industries, and support cultural, sports and entertainment enterprises to apply for various support projects. Shenzhen will introduce special support policies for the film and television, and literary and artistic troupe industries, and provide key support for enterprise introduction, major event organisation, and excellent creative work, in order to promote the filling and strengthening of the cultural, sports and entertainment industries.

9.    Shenzhen encourages each district to formulate supporting measures based on these measures to jointly promote the high-quality development of the cultural, sports and entertainment industries across the city. Unless otherwise specified, for the same matter and project that meets multiple subsidy conditions in these measures, it will be subsidised in accordance with the principle of "taking the higher, not duplicating".

These measures shall be implemented from March 25, 2024 and shall be valid for 2 years.

Disclaimer: This document has been translated into English.  If there is any inconsistency or ambiguity between the English version and the Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail. The full text of the measures, in Chinese, can be found below: http://wtl.sz.gov.cn/xxgk/zcfgjzcjd/whscsp/content/post_11208535.html