HANGZHOU, Chine, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On June 1, the “Grand Tour – 2026 CAA Graduation Season” was inaugurated in Hangzhou. Organized by the Chinese Academy of Arts (CAA), this event takes place at nine different sites in Hangzhou and presents nearly 3,000 final studies completed by 2,888 graduates from 20 academic departments.
The 2026 International Youth Art Dialogue series was also launched on June 1. It includes three major events: “Mission of Art Education in Light of Global Civilizations – Dialogue among International Art Academy Presidents”, “International Young Artists Dialogue”, and “One Art Boundless Seas – International Youth Art Exhibition”. These events brought together directors from more than 50 international art schools and young artists from more than 50 countries.
Yu Xuhong, president of CAA, said this graduation season featured a very comprehensive academic profile, with significant advancements in all professional fields. He stressed that artistic creation must come out of closed spaces, meet the public and be tested in concrete social contexts. He pointed out that Hangzhou is itself a major international platform and the CAA graduate exhibition is now making a significant contribution to shaping the new global art landscape.
Since 2009, the CAA has been the first to organize a public exhibition of the final works of all specialties, thus setting a precedent among artistic establishments. In 2019, the exhibition expanded beyond campus to Hangzhou City, marking China’s most memorable graduation season.
This year’s theme, “Grand Tour,” celebrates an approach of discovering the world for yourself. On the road, the mountains and rivers become a real classroom; only by traveling thousands of kilometers can we grasp the transformations of the past and the present. The Grand Tour has become a rite of passage: young minds making history by traveling the world on foot and discovering culture through what they see.
The opening ceremony, which took place on June 1, included a themed show and a fashion show, mixing screens and physical structures. A song composed especially for the occasion, entitled “Grand Tour”, echoed the ideals and passions of youth, while nearly 140 ready-to-wear outfits were presented.
