The 2025 Shanghai Arts Festival showcased global and Chinese performances, closing with a concert by Italy’s Santa Cecilia Orchestra.

The 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, held October to November 2025, featured international and domestic performances including the Mariinsky Ballet, Wiener Philharmoniker, and Schaubuhne Berlin, alongside traditional Kunqu Opera and folk arts. Events spanned Shanghai and other cities, with highlights like a revival of Pina Bausch’s Echoes of '78, a ballet season launching with Don Quixote, and a gongbi painting tour in Guangzhou. The festival concluded with a concert by Italy’s Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Daniel Harding, emphasizing cultural exchange, heritage, and global collaboration.