A sidewalk with a tree casting a shadow in front of a red wall and traditional gray tiled roof.

International

Art Scholars

Exchange Program

Program

Partnership

Initiated by ART CSSA (Association of Chinese Students and Scholars in the Arts, USA), Eastward Journey is supported by a range of institutions including the Beijing Film Academy, Central Academy of Fine Arts, 798 Art District, National Art Museum of China, and the Chinese Student Association at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Our Services

Group of people in an art gallery listening to a woman speak, with colorful abstract paintings on the wall behind them.

Academic Exchange

Participants visit leading art institutions in Beijing to engage in lectures, campus tours, and discussions with faculty and students. The program encourages cross-cultural learning and exploration of contemporary art education in China.

People viewing an art installation featuring digital glitch art on screens in an indoor gallery.

Industry Insight

We offer direct exposure to China’s creative landscape through visits to galleries, film studios, and tech-driven art spaces. Participants gain practical knowledge of how art connects with media, design, and business.

A large crowd of people gathered outdoors in front of an ornate, multi-tiered pagoda structure, with a man in the foreground in a shavasana yoga pose with hands pressed together in a prayer gesture.

Cultural Immersion

From historic landmarks to hands-on traditional crafts, participants experience the richness of Chinese heritage. Daily life, food, and urban exploration are central to understanding art in its cultural context.

A large traditional Chinese palace with red walls and ornate roofs, surrounded by a body of water and people walking around, set against a hazy city skyline in the background.

Beijing

The cultural and political heart of China, has over 3,000 years of urban history and more than 800 years as a capital. The city is a unique blend of ancient imperial heritage and contemporary architecture, home to both deep-rooted artistic traditions and a vibrant emerging art scene. From the Forbidden City to 798 Art District, from historic hutongs to modern skyscrapers, Beijing holds the richest concentration of art education resources in China and serves as a dynamic space for artistic imagination and global dialogue.