Proposed by the Ministry of Culture of People's Republic of China and approved by the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, The Center for China Shanghai International Arts Festival (The Office for China Shanghai International Arts Festival) was founded in March,2000.
The Center is responsible for the planning and operation of the annual China Shanghai International Arts Festival and also undertakes foreign cultural exchange activities. In addition, it also plans and organizes various performances, produces and publishes audio and video products, develops and manages different cultural products, offers cultural internet information services and management of cultural industries plus the investment and operation of cultural funds.
The president of the Center for China Shanghai International Arts Festival is Mr. Chen Shenglai.
The Center Consists of the General Office, Performance and Exhibition Department, Public Relations and Publicity Department, Resource Development and Advertisement Department, System Management Department and Financial Department. The Center's routine duties include programme planning, marketing, exhibition and promotion, public cultural activities, public relations strategies, publicity, international liaison, ticketing, advertising, fund raising, logistics, security and administration of funds, etc. The Center also has some cultural and media entities as its subsidiary organizations, such as Shanghai Cultural Exchange Agency, Shanghai Audio & Video Publishing House, Shanghai International Arts Festival Public Relations Co. Ltd, Shanghai Mei Lan Fang Culture & Arts Communications.
在上海 位于外滩南京东路口
外滩18号（Bund18）建于1923年，是一栋有着84年历史的市级经典保护建筑，位于外滩南京东路口，原名麦加利银行的外滩十八号楼，曾是英国渣打银行驻中国的总部，建于一九二三年。自一九五五年渣打银行迁址以来，历经家单位使用。
修复后的外滩十八号楼进门四根古希腊式的大理石柱是原装，谜一般地来自二百年前意大利的教堂。两盏量身定做的三米高红色玻璃吊灯，全部由空心玻璃管组装而成，每盏灯由一百八十五个零件拼装起来。大堂璀璨耀眼的二十四K金砖马塞克壁画是全手工制作。其被打造成为国际知名时装、珠宝、名表、美食、娱乐、艺术中心。