Accelerate the creation of a global capital for digital creative industries, Shenzhen's policy "combinatorial punches" promote the high-quality development of the digital creative industry.

Shenzhen Business Daily · Reading Innovation Client Reporter Yuan Weibin

As the 21st Cultural Industry Expo is being held, Shenzhen's cultural industry is迎来重磅利好. On May 24, riding on the strong wind of Guangdong's significant policy package to promote high-quality development of the cultural industry, the "Several Measures for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Digital Creative Industry in Shenzhen" (hereinafter referred to as the "Several Measures") and the "Supportive Management Measures for New Spaces in Performing Arts in Shenzhen (Trial)" were officially released. These measures focus on promoting digital empowerment and information transformation in cultural construction, cultivating new cultural formats and consumption models with "real financial support," and driving the development and growth of various cultural market entities, continuously transforming cultural resource advantages into advantages for cultural development, thereby promoting high-quality development of the cultural industry.

The scale of Shenzhen's digital creative industry is leading nationwide. In 2024, there were 3,754 cultural and related industry enterprises above designated size in Shenzhen, achieving an operating income of 1,287.508 billion yuan, accounting for 51.5% of the province and 9.1% of the country; calculated on a comparable basis, it increased by 12.1% year-on-year, higher than the national and provincial average growth rates of 6.1 and 5.5 percentage points, respectively. Among them, 16 sub-industries characterized by new cultural formats, such as multimedia games and animation, and the manufacturing of wearable smart cultural devices, achieved an operating income of 586.399 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 12.2%. The integration of culture and technology continues to deepen and advance steadily, providing strong support for the high-quality development of Shenzhen's cultural industry.

Strengthen core technology research and development to enhance hard power.

The "Several Measures" focus on strengthening the R&D of core technologies in digital creativity, vigorously developing key industries in digital creativity, and building an innovative ecosystem for the digital creativity industry. Based on Shenzhen's technological innovation advantages and its open and diverse cultural advantages, it targets key areas such as digital creative technologies and equipment, digital creative content, digital creative activities, and digital creative integrated services. It aims to vigorously develop key industries such as gaming e-sports, film and animation, short videos, performances, and science fiction, and cultivate new business formats in digital creativity, providing financial support to eligible enterprises, projects, platforms, and activities.

The "Several Measures" proposes to promote the integration and innovation of AI and digital creativity in strengthening the R&D of core technologies in digital creativity. It encourages the development and application of cutting-edge software such as AI film and animation tools platforms, AI design and production software, and domestic game engines, and supports the R&D of vertical models for digital creativity sub-industries, issuing inclusive "training vouchers" and "corpus vouchers" to enterprises. It supports enterprises and social institutions in building large model service platforms and corpus databases for the digital creative industry using excellent traditional Chinese culture, intangible cultural heritage resources, local cultural elements, and more.

Support the R&D and application of digital creative technology. Support the construction of digital creative laboratories and enterprise innovation centers, encourage enterprises to carry out research and development of digital creative technologies such as virtual shooting, extended reality (XR), light and shadow sound effects, and intelligent motion capture, and improve the technical level of digital cultural equipment such as wearable intelligent cultural equipment, virtual reality technology equipment, digital studio hardware, immersive projection systems, and domestic game equipment, as well as application service capabilities for government affairs, people's livelihood, cultural tourism and other scenarios, and continue to improve the "scientific content" of Shenzhen's digital creative industry.

New technologies and new business formats support key industries.

In terms of vigorously developing key industries in digital creativity, the "Several Measures" propose to continuously enhance the level of independent innovation and brand influence in games, supporting the development and operation of 3A (high investment, high quality, high cultural connotation) games, quality games, functional games, esports games, and other game products that are dominated by Chinese cultural elements and scenarios. Support for hosting internationally and domestically renowned game competitions and events.

Create high-quality film and animation products, supporting the creation and production of excellent films with themes such as main melody, positive energy, major subjects, and distinctive topics. Support the establishment of new digital studios and film crews coming to Shenzhen for shooting. Promote the refinement of micro and short dramas, support the concentrated development of the micro and short drama industry, build a public service platform for the industry, and improve copyright trading and agency services.

At the same time, it will promote the prosperity and development of the performance market. Optimize the approval process, improve the efficiency of performance services, and relax the restrictions on the number of tickets that can be sold (issued) for large-scale commercial performances. Support the use of big data, blockchain and other intelligent identification and verification technologies to build a performance ticketing platform in the Greater Bay Area. Support the creation of a number of new performing arts spaces and high-quality stage plays, and support the holding of new performing arts such as concerts, concerts, high-quality repertoire and game performances.

The "Several Measures" also propose to create an innovation highland for the sci-fi industry. Support the creation of high-quality sci-fi literature, sci-fi films, sci-fi animation, sci-fi games, sci-fi performances, and other characteristic products such as trendy toys. Promote the concentrated development of the sci-fi industry and facilitate mutual empowerment between scientific innovation and science fiction.

Deeply promote the "Digital Creativity +" initiative, encouraging the integration of digital creativity with cultural heritage, cultural and tourism consumption, healthcare, intelligent manufacturing, education and entertainment, and other fields. Vigorously develop immersive and interactive experience economy and diverse future-oriented new cultural consumption formats.

Building an innovative ecosystem for the digital creative industry.

The "Several Measures" propose to support the premiere of cultural masterpieces, including first screenings, first performances, first shows, first releases, and first exhibitions. It also supports the first stops of concert tours, theatrical performances, as well as the first competitions and exhibitions of large-scale events. By enhancing the image of the digital creative industry as an innovative highland, it continually improves the "depth" within the industry.

Shenzhen also supports IP creation and authorization, IP derivative product development, cultural creative product development, as well as IP-derived performances, exhibitions, and various forms of IP collaborations. It actively cultivates IP operating entities and promotes the valuation and trading of cultural digital assets.

In terms of talent introduction and cultivation, Shenzhen supports universities in promoting the construction of digital creativity-related majors and interdisciplinary programs. It encourages enterprises to jointly establish talent training bases with universities and social institutions. It supports award-winning teams from national, provincial, and municipal innovation and entrepreneurship competitions in their entrepreneurial development. It explores the recognition standards for high-level and urgently needed talents in the industry and increases the support for talents in the digital creativity industry regarding housing, entrepreneurship, and other aspects.

In addition, we will give full play to the role of platform agglomeration to further enhance the influence of national platforms such as the Cultural Expo, the National Foreign Cultural Trade Base (Shenzhen), and the Shenzhen Cultural Property Exchange (National Cultural Big Data Trading Center). Support the establishment of online distribution and trading platforms for film and television, animation, games, online literature, and art trading. Support the holding of influential digital creative industry exhibitions and activities such as film and television, animation, IP, and artworks.

The "Several Measures" actively promote cultural foreign trade, drive the cultural going global of online literature, online dramas, and online games as the "three driving forces," support enterprises in building overseas service platforms, participating in important international exhibitions, and laying out overseas markets, enhancing the "cultural content" of exports.

In addition, optimize the investment scope and direction of the digital creative industry fund, and invest in boutique creation, technology research and development, cultural equipment, brand activities, etc. Cultivate patient capital and bold capital in the cultural field, support social capital to set up industrial funds in subdivided fields such as film and television, micro-short dramas, online literature, and games, and focus on investing in content creation, IP incubation, and overseas projects. Encourage digital creative enterprises to list and raise funds in domestic and foreign capital markets, and continuously improve the "gold content" of Shenzhen's digital creative industry.

Illuminate the new urban cultural life with a new space for performing arts.

The "Shenzhen New Space Support Management Measures (Trial)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") focuses on "standardized regulation, precise policy support, and deep industry integration". Multiple departments work together to create a new performing arts ecosystem characterized by "policy support, vibrant spaces, and market dynamism," accelerating the construction of Shenzhen as an "International Performing Arts Capital."

The "Measures" specifically clarify that for new performing arts space projects that embody integration, innovation, and demonstration, and have good social and economic benefits, after comprehensive evaluation, the highest support of 1 million yuan will be awarded to the best projects. This directly reduces costs such as venue transformation and content creation, providing strong support measures for the operation units of new performing arts spaces. This aims to create more "small but beautiful" and "small but new" performing arts spaces, allowing more high-quality cultural resources to reach the grassroots, continuously enhancing the sense of gain and happiness of the citizens through high-quality cultural supply.

(Source: Shenzhen Business Daily · Duwan)

Source: Eastmoney.com

Author: Shenzhen Business Daily · Duchuang