Science and culture will be better intertwined with the launch of the Cultural and Creative Industry Alliance in Beijing’s Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town) on May 10.

The alliance functions as a bridge, leading its members to more interconnections and cooperation. At the launching ceremony, five contracts were signed by alliance members, including ones between the China National Acrobatic Troupe and StartTimes; John Hughes and his Hollywood VFX producing team and the Art and Design Department of Beijing Polytechnic; artist Liu Jian and Bona Starlight; the philanthropic organization I-BD and the alliance; and the China National Acrobatic Troupe and Bona Starlight.

The alliance is the first government-approved social group in E-Town. It’s an enterprise-led and market-based cultural and creative industry system utilizing industrial and university research resources. The alliance currently has 39 members.

Its establishment is closely related to E-Town’s development strategy of breaking the boundaries between science and culture, companies and industry. “E-Town is a cluster of high-tech companies and diverse cultural and creative firms. Its industrial growth has great potential,” said an official from E-Town, adding that “the alliance will create a platform to promote communication between science and culture.”

Cultural and creative industry is E-Town’s fastest developing industry; its annual revenue growth rate has been over 20 percent for four successive years. Revenue reached 81 billion yuan in 2015.

Six platforms supporting the development of cultural and creative industry will be built in E-Town -- think tanks, financial services, talent cultivation, industry incubators, exchange systems, and parks.