The 2023 Guilin Arts Festival stages over 140 shows and activities. [Photo/China News Service]

The 2023 Guilin Arts Festival was held on Oct 27 to Nov 5 – featuring performances from 14 countries and regions – and over 140 shows and activities hit the stage during the program.

Most took place in public spaces such as the parks and scenic areas of Guilin city – located in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region – with 22 of them free to the public.

Dickson Mbi, a performer from the British Dance Theatre, who performed in its production Enowate, said that this was his second time in Guilin and that it was his favorite place in China.

He said he and his friends visited Guilin's Yangshuo county by boat in 2016 and were immediately impressed by the local scenery and culture.

This year's festival also featured a unique Cave Theater – created to reflect Guilin's famous karst topography – where the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University performed their production AIA.

"We are honored to perform on the unique cave stage in Guilin and to be recognized by the audience. Art is a universal language and we are willing to engage in cultural exchanges with countries around the world," said Tata Tavdishvili, director of AIA.

"This year's arts festival is a mutual exchange between nature and theatrical art," said Li Jun, head of the Guilin publicity department.

"In the magnificent natural landscapes, the unique mountain, water, cave and grass theaters showcase theatrical arts – giving artists and audiences a new experience and triggering thoughts on how to achieve harmony between nature and art," Li added.