Beijing Dangdai Art Fair 2026 will take place from May 21 to 24 at Hall 11 of the National Agricultural Exhibition Center, with May 21–22 as VIP Preview Days and May 23–24 as Public Days. “Encounter” is the forum and media sector of Beijing Dangdai Art Fair, creating social content and scenarios that bring people together face to face through both online and offline spaces and media, advancing the exchange of ideas among individuals.

This year’s “Encounter | Forum” at the fair is co-presented with The Macallan, a single malt Scotch whisky brand, and will feature 18 dialogues covering areas such as art trends, collection strategies, local experiences, the digital economy, art and philanthropy, art therapy, and artificial intelligence.

2026.5.21
Thursday
Session 1 14:00—14:45
From Wales to South Korea: Site-specific Art Practice
Speakers
Jiang Jiehong
Artistic Director of IVAE
Lee Byunghee
Chief Curator of Jeju Biennale
Peik Kiyoung
Head of Exhibition Department of Gwangju Biennale
Cao Dan
Senior Art Journalist, Curator, and Documentary Filmmaker

2026.5.21
Thursday
Session 2 15:00—15:45
A Beijing-Gwangju Bilateral Dialogue:From “Land Trace” to “You Must Change Your Life” and Onward to the “Iron Silk Road”
Speakers
Ruan Yuelai
Artist, Associate Professor,  China Academy of Art, Founder of CSDA International Media Art & Creative Competition, Co-Curator of the China National Pavilion at the 16th Gwangju Biennale
Wang Yudong
Chairman of Beijing International Design Week Co., Ltd., Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee Office of Beijing International Design Week
Youn Bummo
President of Gwangju Biennale Foundation, Korea
Wang Yan
Director of the Center Art Museum (Hangzhou), Curatory Director of the Media City Research and Development Center, Director of the Institute of Science, Technology and Digital Art, China Academy of Art, Chief Curator of the China National Pavilion at the 16th Gwangju Biennale
Liu Tian
Vice Director of the Research Center for Exhibition Culture, and Executive Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art and Social Thought (ICAST), China Academy of Art, Co-Curator of the China National Pavilion at the 16th Gwangju Biennale

2026.5.21
Thursday
Session 3 16:00—17:00
AI & the Future: Symbiosis of Ecology and Intelligence
Speakers
Du Shanshan
Moderator
Xu Rui
Artist
Peng Jiayuan
Artist
Yang Guangyu
Art Curator of Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing
Deng Ting
Curator
Anna
PNDbotics Brand Director
Roada
Young Actor and Singer

2026.5.22
Friday
Session 1 11:30—12:30
In the Era of New Technologies, How Can Public Art Realize Social Healing
Speakers
Jia Wei (KK)
Artist
Yan Yan
Executive Director of Today Art Museum
Molly Xie
ArtPro Vice President of ArtPro APP

2026.5.22
Friday
Session 2 12:45—13:30
The Vision of An Ideal Order Embodied in the Formula of Creation——Encountering Pistoletto’s “Third Paradise”
Speakers
Zoe Chen Zhuo
Ambassador of the Third Paradise
Wu Jian’an
Artist, Professor of Central Academy of Fine Arts
Luna Peng
Director of Galleria Continua Beijing

2026.5.22
Friday
Session 3 13:45—14:30
Beyond Land Trace: Technology as the New Foundation of the Contemporary Art Ecosystem
Speakers
Tracy Zhang
Publisher, FTChinese.com
Jenny Zeng
Founder and Managing Partner of MSA Capital
Dr. Pi Li
Director of Róng Museum of Art
Bao Dong
Co-founder and Artistic Director of Beijing Dangdai Art Fair

2026.5.22
Friday
Session 4 14:45—15:30
Zhou Li: New Books Launch & Dialogue
Speakers
Zhou Li
Artist
Sheng Liyu
Director of Jebum-Gang Art Center
Shu Kewen
Curator and Art Critic

2026.5.22
Friday
Session 5 15:45—16:30
Mirror in Water —— The Sixth Ring Odyssey: An Alternative Art Ecology’s Absorption and Escape
Speakers
Paul Gladston
First Judith Neilson Chair in Contemporary Art at UNSW Sydney, Distinguished Fellow of the Beijing Tsinghua China-UK Humanities Alliance, Member of the Editorial Board of the international journal Third Text
Lin Zi
Curator, Independent Critic
Liu Huanting: Art Broker, Curator, Founder of Beijing Yuanguo Culture and Art Office and Xianqihe Bistro & Gallery
Suo Shan
Founding Partner of RET Ruiyide
Deng Ting
Independent Curator, Artist
Peng Wei
Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate Researcher at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Council Member of Beijing Youth Art Development Promotion Association and Deputy Director of its Fine Arts Working Committee, Member of the Cultural and Entertainment Law Society, Advisor to the Beer Branch of China Alcoholic Drinks Association and to the International Creative Management Committee.

2026.5.22
Friday
Session 6 16:45—17:30
Art for Good: Practical Applications for Social Impact
Speakers
Oliver Teng
Artist, Collector, Founder of Current State
Mingwang (Kiko) Fan
Lead of Early-Stage Projects at Frees Fund
Chuntian Jian
Calligraphy and Cross-Media Artist
Lu Huang
Installation  and Cross-Media Artist
Luna LuArt Know Me
Art Reviewer, Founder of Art Know Me, B Corp Consultant

2026.5.22
Friday
Session 7 17:45—18:15
Interstice: Wang Xiaosong — Painting and Perception
Speakers
Bao Dong
Co-founder and Artistic Director of Beijing Dangdai Art Fair
Du Xiyun
Curator
Wang Chunchen
Professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Curator, and Director of the Contemporary Art Research Center of CAFA Art Museum
Wang Jiang
Independent Curator and Critic
Wang Xiaosong
Artist and Professor, Zhejiang University, Curator of the China Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia
Ding Xiaojie
Host, Editor-in-Chief of 99 Art Media, Doctor of Arts Management

2026.5.23
Saturdays
Session 1 11:15—12:15
Intellectual Property Data Notarization and Data Asset Application
Speakers
Dong Qing
Vice President of Baiyaxuan Cultural Communication Co., Ltd., Co-founder of Wujie Wuji Art Center
Lv Rongbo
National Leading Talent in Intellectual Property, Director of Planning and Development Department of Intellectual Property Publishing House Co.,Ltd., China National Intellectual Property Administration
Zhang Lei
IMS Chief Architect of Digital Economy, Deputy Secretary-General of Zhongguancun Yuntong Innovation Alliance
Zhang Tao
Global Partner, DeHeng Law Offices, Head of Network and Data Research Center
Xiong Lei
Co-founder and COO of Beijing Dangdai Art Fair
Yu Zeyuan
Expert on Web3.0 Digital Economy Domain,  General Manager of Yuanshi Technology (Hainan) Co., Ltd.
Liu Haidi
Deputy Director of AI Design Industry Center, Zhongguancun Yuntong Computer Professional Server System Technology Innovation Alliance

2026.5.23
Saturdays
Session 2 12:30—13:15
Art in Real Life:Curating and Collecting Beyond Traditional Space
Speakers
SUI Qun
Art Collector and Founder of Surplus Space
LYU Ningjue
President of Fengyuzhu Public Art Research Institute
Li Lin
Director of WANLI CENTER OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Shi Jinle
P.art Group Founder of P.art Group Art Consultancy
Yiwei Lu
Curator and Founder of Yiwei Gallery  

2026.5.23
Saturdays
Session 3 15:45—16:30
Art as Urban Infrastructure: A Conversation on KW-ARTCENTER at 10

Speakers

Liu Chunfeng
Researcher, National Art Museum of China
Luo Yi
Curator, Museum Advisor, Director of Museum of Women’s Art
Wang Jiang
Independent Curator and Critic
Michael Yu
Head of KW-ARTCENTER 

2026.5.23
Saturdays
Session 4 16:45—18:00
The Second Evolution of Love: From Instinct to Awareness
Speakers
Guo Ran
Screenwriter, Director, Initiator of Documentary Action
Che Mingze
Hospice Care Therapist, Social Worker
Zeng Jing
Mindfulness Teacher  and Ph.D. in Medicine
Zeng Wei
Art Educator,  Inner Art Researcher
Ding Xuelei
Mindfulness Practitioner, Innovation Leader
Colin Siyuan Chinnery
Artist, Curator, Co-Founder of Sound Art Museum

2026.5.24
Sundays
Session 1 11:30—12:15
Luminary Traces——Art for Good: Alternative Possibilities in Contemporary Art
Speakers
Hu Fei
Director-General of the Sustainable Design and Art Promotion Association
Lichao
Designer, President of SDA — the Sustainable Design & Art Promotion Association, Doctor of Art & Design, Master of Service Design
Peijun Yang
Beijing Xianfeng Changtian Foundation Program Manager
Zhang Han
Designer, Curator, Founder & Creative Director of 20000 days design

2026.5.24
Sundays
Session 2 12:30—13:15
The Eternal Beauty Of Silicon-Based Life
Speakers
CryptoZR
Crypto Artist

2026.5.24
Sundays
Session 3 13:30—14:15
The First Lesson in Collecting:How New Collectors Can Build a Collection from Scratch and Vision
Speakers
Aleksandar Battista Ilic
Dean of the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of Zagreb, Croatia
Feng Jiao
Director of the Italy China Council Foundation Academy Art Center
Yan Fang
Former Host of CCTV’s Financial Channel, Founder of Ruyan Art Space, and Art Collector

Wang Yuhan
PIFO Gallery Director
Li Danae
Representative of Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Founder of Art Star Central

2026.5.24
Sundays
Session 4 14:30—15:15
The Power of Softness: Symbiosis and Futurity in Women’s Art
Speakers
ShaoFei
Artist
Yi’E
Director of the Research Department, Research Librarian, Doctoral Supervisor, National Art Museum Of China Scholar of Modern Chinese Art History, Senior Curator
YuChuang
CEO of Wufu Auction，Champion Auctioneer

2026.5.24
Sundays
Session 5 16:30—17:15
Dialects and Accents in Painting
Speakers
Bao Dong
Co-founder and Artistic Director of Beijing Dangdai Art Fair
Huang Liyou
Vice President of the Hunan Academy of Painting,  National First-Class Artist, Researcher at the China National Academy of Painting
Fan Xiaonan
Professor at Renmin University of China, Art Critic, Curator
Ouyang Xing
Director of the Gravity Art Museum