The shared cultural centers will provide citizens with richer cultural enjoyment.[Photo by Yu Tao]

Zhongshan will guide social forces to build some shared cultural centers, in which citizens can enjoy free cultural services with different characteristics. People who help to build a shared cultural center can receive up to 200,000 yuan of supporting funds.

It is learned that the Zhongshan Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau is currently soliciting opinions from the public on a series of documents, such as the Implementation Plan for the Pilot Construction of Zhongshan Shared Cultural Centers ( referred to as Implementation Plan). The bureau also plans to build some pilot shared cultural centers in June this year.

The construction of the shared cultural centers will be subject to unified standards and service policies. Mass organizations and social forces are encouraged to set up cultural and artistic service facilities or institutions with their own characteristics, which will be incorporated to the city's shared cultural service system in accordance with relevant requirements.

It is said that, Zhongshan will take the lead to build pilot shared cultural centers step by step.

The Implementation Plan, which is soliciting opinions from the public, gives a detail description of shared cultural centers and providing the public cultural services such as: offering books, newspapers, tourist brochures and others that are officially published in China for free reading, exhibition, art popularization, film and television appreciation, opera performance, law popularization education, science popularization, radio and television broadcasting, internet access and visiting experiences, as well as youth research and learning activities and other services. Any shared cultural center with mature conditions will be included in Zhongshan's cultural tourism routes for overall promotion.

However, it does not mean that all of the services in the shared cultural centers are free of charge. Each shared cultural center can provide free featured services to the public in accordance with their own conditions and the requirements of the Implementation Plan. (from Guangzhou Daily)