Here is the official announcement of the Weihai Road 696 Art Studios event:
Intervention #3 @ Shanghai Art Studios, Weihai Road 696
Happy Together- 25 artists present multi disciplinary works for two day event
Date: April 18-19, 1pm to 8pm daily
In the Summer of 2006 a small artists colony took over the abandoned premises of an old opium den, later turned into a factory, in downtown Shanghai. Now around 40 diverse practioners have built functioning workshops in the building. 696 Weihai Road has a very diverse mix of inhabitants, including painters, sculptors, dancers, singers, bands, film directors, photographers , actors, arts activists, journalists, fashion designers, professional travelers, an underwear designer, child arts specialists, a wedding photography team, a foreign martial arts master, an animation company, an outdoor clothing and gear shop, architects, and also a few experimental gallery spaces.
As the downtown location of the building is in Shanghai’s ‘golden area,’ just a few minutes away from the city’s top malls and hotels, developers have long been threatening to take over the building. The tenants have been keeping up a three year campaign to maintain Weihai 696’s function as a creative space, through individual and group actions. To celebrate the fact that the building has not yet been torn down or converted into a commercial development the building hosts an annual open door event, to showcase work, allow performers to show their work in public in a relaxed setting to friends and visitors, and this year should also see some documentary work and other experimental pieces. Due to the anarchic nature of the setting and the work in progress, and for other obvious reasons, not all can yet be revealed!
Currently around 25 of the workshops will present open doors, installations and around 5 musical performers have been slated in to play at various venues within the complex. A map will be provided to guests, and signs relating to the various events will be posted by the main gate, or chalked on the walls.
Refreshments should be provided at various locations throughout the events, and there are also numerous 24 hour stores nearby where visitors can purchase snacks and beverages.
For anyone wishing for further details in English please keep an eye on the site www.shanghaieye.net
696艺术联欢会 新闻通告
2006年夏天，威海路的一片不起眼的弄堂厂房里，搬来了第一位和艺术工作有关的住户，后来陆续地很多来自世界各地的艺术工作者迁徙了进来，慢慢形成了一个有意思的小村落，这片旧日厂房在这群创作者的精心改建和安排下，变成了这个中国最商业的都市里，少有的一个乌托邦。他们友好相处，相互鼓励。在这个温暖的小环境里，在每个小方格子里，都有一个有关艺术的梦想在茁壮生长着，无论是来自什么国家，无论从事什么专业，他们都在这里找到了自由发展的乐土。
如果要列一个单子，那这单子上一定包含了所有能让人类感受到快乐的工作；能让人更接近幸福的生活方式：画家，雕塑家，舞蹈者，歌手，乐队，电影导演，摄影师，话剧演员，艺术活动家，记者，画廊业者，服装设计师，职业旅行家，内衣设计师，婚纱摄影小组，外国武术大师等等，当然还有一些行踪诡秘的至今没有暴露身份的神秘主义者。
不可思议的事情里往往也有平淡无奇的一面，生活因此才有趣。
这片地方的名字和它的门牌一样未加任何修辞：威海路696号，或者叫696。
因为地处上海最中心的寸金之地，696在都市商业大厦的阴影下，如同在走廊里四处游荡的那只著名的黑色野猫，从来不知道昨晚住的纸板箱，明天是否还在原地。从第一天入住起，每个人都被告知了随时会被拆迁的命运。所有的梦想家最初是带着一丝惴惴不安地生活在这里，直到渐渐变得习惯于这样的命运，直到有一天他们突然想起来，他们已经在这里不可思议地驻扎了三个年头了。这些年里，很多人因为很多不同的原因，搬来这里或者离开了这里。有时是陌生人因为靠近成为了朋友，有时是朋友因分离而相忘于江湖，他们渐渐习惯了认识新面孔，忘却旧邻居，各自躲在自己的工作空间里很少聚会。但是他们还是习惯每年的某几天，把门都打开，因为这已经成为了这短短三年里，696里唯一确定了不会改变的事情。
2009年开门的日子是4月18日- 4月19日。
那两天里所有的门都是敞开的，有多少性格各异的主人，就会有多少不同的待客方式。在联欢的日子里，喜欢喝酒聊天交朋友的人一定可以在这里找到你的知己，欢迎购物的人可以在某些空间里，发现一些艺术家有趣的手工活儿，有纪念意义的小玩意儿；喜欢板着脸一句话也不说四处游荡的人，也可以在这里假装严肃很久，因为有足够的地儿够你神游。
总之，愈是大家容易不开心的危机日子里，愈是不知道明年自家在哪儿的际遇，却愈是让这些家伙懂得了及时行乐的必要。所以，大家凑一起玩玩儿吧！
来吧！笑一笑！
