22 International Art Plaza opened on Nov 15, 2009 on East Third Ring Road after years of preparation. Home to galleries, studios, auction houses and cultural organization offices, it is intended to be an international art block in the heart of the Central Business District (CBD).

Unlike the decommissioned military factory buildings in 798 Art District, 22 has refined architecture. It was so named because its architects were attempting to create a 22nd style of architecture, in addition to the 21 classic styles known in the country.

On the ground, there are 100 galleries and art and culture communication organizations. Seventeen are open, and the rest are expected to launch by the year’s end. The area also includes hotel-style apartments to provide artists with a complete creative environment.

If 798 Art District was a spontaneous response to the demand for art, then 22 International Art Plaza is a market choice, the curator of Today Art Museum Zhang Zikang said.

The streets auction houses also offer a place for upcoming artists to sell their work. Shops in the plaza sell daily articles based on the artists’ designs and ideas.

The management is cooperating with foreign embassies to also provide an inroad for foreign artists seeking a Chinese audience. The Italian embassy has set up a location in the plaza to open an architecture exhibition and the Ukrainian embassy is planning to show a series of oil paintings.

Young artists who have just graduated from universities like the Central Academy of Fine Arts will be eligible for free underground studios in the village.