iSTART — Nature·Balance·Play
As the first children’s art festival since the A4 Kids Space became independent, the 11th iSTART Children’s Art Festival will open on May 31, 2025, at the A4X Art Centre, Luxelake Art Expo Center. This year’s theme, “Nature·Balance·Play” celebrates children’s creative engagement with nature, and encourages a harmonious balance of mind and body by returning to nature and exploring the wisdom therein. By using nature as a connecting thread, this year’s festival aims to connect the educational networks across families, schools and the wider community. It seeks to create a cross-disciplinary platform for child-centred learning, in collaboration with educators, scholars and artists. Through art and play, the exhibition creates a interconnected and joyful “playground”.
The “Nature·Balance·Play” exhibition is driven by the iSTART co-creation team, engaging over 4,000 children and adults in its co-creative process. The exhibition brings together voices from education, charity, and game research and other interdisciplinary fields. It highlights collaborative projects that empower children to speak for themselves. Key highlights include the “The Microbial Lab” initiated by little curator; “Tears of Nature”, a project linking emotional expression with the natural world; “City’s Patch”, which protects tree holes as part of urban ecological care; “Mobile Tree Hole”, a children’s voice expression initiative supported by the Luxelake Social Development Foundation; “Save Unhappiness”, a project co-created by Chengdu Worry Relief Social Work Service Center and Curious Learning Community. Visitors can also see “Gaga Nation”, which explores language and civilization; “Mei Wan Mei Liao Bookstore”, a children-led bookstore exploring the endless possibilities of books; “Stray Shop x Warrior Cats”, which focuses on stray animals and operates a charity store; “T+ Aesthetic Education Development Support Program for Rural Educators” and other iSTART’s signature projects. The exhibition also features artist-initiated projects, including “Re-act”, a collocative project with A4 Residency Art Center. This exhibition is designed as a participatory experience for children, led by the “Fun Design Club” initiated by architect Kai and firmfirm Design Studio. Children were deeply involved in every stage—from the exhibition layout to the creation of the core visual symbol, the “Seed.” By blending professional guidance with children’s creativity, this exhibition aims to present a genuinely child-friendly space. This year’s iSTART Children’s Art Festival continues its playful approach to the exhibition, inviting audience to explore the exhibition as “Seed Warriors”, collecting and generating their own energy and seeds. Along the way, the audiences could discover their connection to nature, mind and body, and creativity—all through a playful way.
In addition to the themed exhibitions, iSTART will host a series of public events throughout the summer, from May to August. The 11th Children’s Art Festival will open with the iSTART Children Carnival on LuxeIsland. During the exhibition period, we will also present monthly themed events, the Annual Education Forum during the closing ceremony and many more engaging programs. We warmly welcome children, parents, schools, and everyone passionate about education and creativity to join us in creating a joyful and inspiring playground for all!
— Li Jie
