BEIJING, Oct. 15 -- Organizers of the world's leading arts festivals gathered on Tuesday in Shanghai for an arts fair, as a warm up for the 9th Shanghai International Arts Festival which opens on Thursday.

Secretary General of the Shanghai arts festival committee, Li Yiping, inaugurated the opening at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.

Participants exchange ideas at the 9th Shanghai International Performing Arts Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007.  (Xinhua Photo)

Among the attendees were Jonathan Mills, director of the Edinburgh International Festival, Hugo De Greef, secretary general of the European Festival Association, and Alain Paré, chief executive officer of the Canadian CINARS International Exchange for the Performing Arts.

The five-day gathering has created a platform for participants to exchange ideas and discuss possible future collaborations.

Chinese organizers are expected to ink a string of deals with their foreign counterparts to promote the exchange of performers.

This year's one-month-long Shanghai International Arts Festival will treat locals to a fusion of world culture, with each day marked with musical or dramatic shows until November 18.

Grammy-winning Chinese composer Tan Dun will raise the curtain with his critically renowned paper and water concertos on October 19.

Peking Opera performers entertain participants of the 9th Shanghai International Performing Arts Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)

Editor: Carolyn