African officials paid a visit to Dafen (Zheng Yang)

Being creative

For a decade, Dafen developed freely without any government involvement. But in 1998, Dafen began to experience problems related to its environmental conditions, transportation facilities and rental property market. Noticing its potential as a cultural production base, the local government invested a lot in the town's facilities and environmental improvement.

In 2004, the local government set up a management office for Dafen Oil Painting Village. "We offer help but do not get involved in business operations," said He Caiping, a director at the management office.

According to He, the local government rents out cheap apartments to help original artists settle in the area. Artists are also encouraged to protect their original works through copyrighting, which can be done by paying a low registration fee.

This is a part of the city's effort to make sure that it is known for more than being a center for mass-producing copies of masterpieces. This shift away from the village's original claim to fame seemed necessary after its overseas business suffered during the global economic slowdown in 2008. "Although the outside world still considers Dafen to just be a replica factory, we do have a lot of talented artists here," He said.

Dafen's artists are still misunderstood by the outside world, but the village as a whole is working to change how it is perceived. The Dafen art museum, the largest such museum in Shenzhen, was built in the village in 2007 to be a platform for art exhibitions and exchange. In 2010, the Dafen Lisa, a huge art piece created by 507 Dafen painters, impressed visitors from all around world at the Shanghai World Expo. Only a few months later, the village hosted the first Dafen Oil Painting Art Festival.

Today, there are 200 artists in Dafen focusing on producing original art works in their own studios. "It's not a big number, but they are having an impact and enhancing artistic creativity in Dafen Village," said He. Except for replicas, one can also purchase original paintings, calligraphy, sculptures, arts and crafts and even supplies in the various shops located throughout the village.

These businesses have helped the villagers get rich and create a lot of opportunities for those coming to the village to work. He believes that continued market demand for replicas is a positive thing for the village, and that Dafen should continue to produce replicas while also growing its production of original paintings.

There's also a blue print for Dafen's future, according to He. The village will be developed into an even larger industrial center covering five times as much land as it does at present. At the same time, factories located outside the village will get involved, and the village will grow its tourism and entertainment sectors. CA

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