The Shandong Cultural Creative Design Industry Association was set up on Dec 28, 2017 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, aiming to promote the upgrading and development of local cultural and creative industry.

Industry experts, scholars from across the country and representatives from Shandong-based cultural and creative enterprises took part in the association's inauguration ceremony and its first meeting.

Industry experts are invited to share their knowledge at the inauguration ceremony of the Shandong Cultural Creative Design Industry Association on Dec 28, 2017 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province. [Photo/Cultural Shandong]

Several issues were discussed during the meeting including the association's future development and planning, recent practice and experience in developing cultural and creative industry and future direction of Shandong's cultural and creative sector.

In recent years, Shandong's cultural and creative industry has maintained a sustained, rapid and sound development due to the local government's efforts.

According to the Shandong provincial department of culture, the added value of the province's cultural industry reached 283.68 billion yuan ($43.74 billion) in 2016, an increase of 86.6 percent over 2012 with an average annual growth of 16.9 percent. The cultural industry's share of the province's GDP grew from 3 percent in 2012 to 4.17 percent in 2016.

The inauguration ceremony of the Shandong Cultural Creative Design Industry Association is held on Dec 28, 2017 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province. [Photo/Cultural Shandong]

Industry experts, scholars from across the country and representatives from Shandong-based cultural and creative enterprises take part in the association's inauguration ceremony and its first meeting on Dec 28, 2017 in Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]