Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation

What Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation does

Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF) is a Beijing-registered, non-profit public fundraising foundation (公募性基金会) established in 2008 with a 3A social organization rating and a current operating headcount of 8 staff. The foundation's stated mission is to enable broader, freer, and more equitable access to contemporary art and culture, with four core programmatic pillars: (1) grants and fellowships for emerging Chinese artists, filmmakers, musicians, and designers (including the BCAF Young Artist Grant Program and the New Voice mentorship initiative with Caixin Media); (2) rural children's art education and ethnic minority craft preservation projects anchored in Henan (Da Nanpo) and Yunnan (Tacheng/Dulong), including the naze naze Dulong textile program co-founded with klee klee in 2015; (3) sustainable design and accessibility-focused cultural philanthropy (Braille packaging, Ali Health, Coca-Cola Bottle 凡); and (4) international cultural exchange, including programs at UN Headquarters, Carnegie Hall, the Paris Révélations Biennale, and London Craft Week.

BCAF operates a multi-stakeholder partnership model with no proprietary technology stack. Its core technology profile is described as 'not applicable,' with the foundation instead functioning as a coordinator, grantor, and convening entity. Programs are delivered through six named special funds (East Side Oasis, VOGUE Handcraft, One World, Art for Health, Sustainable Design, Xiaohongshu Intangible Cultural Heritage) established with corporate and media partners including VOGUE China, Ali Health/Alibaba, Xiaohongshu, East Side Beast, klee klee, ANOBO, UCCA, Harvard metaLAB, Columbia University, and CAFA. Since inception BCAF has supported over 1,500 creators, conducted 825+ activities across 20 countries, and disbursed over 46 million RMB in cumulative grants (as of H1 2023).

The foundation's economic model rests on three revenue streams: (a) public fundraising and institutional donations enabled by its registered public-foundation status (granting tax-deductible receipts), (b) named special funds and charitable trusts financed by corporate partners for designated programmatic verticals, and (c) commercial co-branding proceeds (e.g., charity merchandise, gift boxes, auction donations such as the VOGUE Handcraft auction at Yongle and Phillips) channeled back into specific program areas. BCAF does not charge fees to artist applicants; selected residency grantees in programs such as the Yunnan Weixi Tacheng Residency receive monthly stipends (3,000 RMB), travel (up to 4,000 RMB), materials funding (up to 10,000 RMB), free accommodation, and accident insurance.

Name

Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation

Legal name

Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation

Website

https://bcaf.org.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF) is a Beijing-registered public arts foundation founded in 2008 that supports Chinese emerging artists, rural children, and ethnic minority women through grants, residencies, art education, craft preservation, art therapy, and international cultural exchange programs delivered via named special funds and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts & Cultural Foundation / Non-profit Cultural Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Arts philanthropy programs
• Artist grant funding
• Rural art education
• International cultural exchange
• Contemporary art foundation

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public fundraising and institutional donations: BCAF raises funds through individual donations, corporate donations, and institutional grants. As a registered public foundation (公募性基金会) with 3A social organization rating, it is eligible for fiscal tax exemption and pre-tax donation deductions. Funding supports artist grants, project implementation, and international exchange activities.
2. Charitable trust and special funds: BCAF establishes named charitable trusts and special funds with corporate/institutional donors (e.g., BCAF East Side Oasis Fund, BCAF VOGUE Handcraft Fund, BCAF One World Fund) for designated programmatic purposes. Funds are managed and deployed for specific project verticals under donor agreements.
3. Commercial co-branding and product partnerships: BCAF earns revenue through co-branded charity merchandise and product partnerships where a portion of sales is donated to BCAF children's art education programs (e.g., co-branded wellness gift boxes, charity art merchandise).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF) is a registered public fundraising foundation that awards grants and coordinates programs for youth artists, rural children, and ethnic minority women in China. Core offerings include artist residency and grant programs, rural children art education (Four Seasons Art Classes), traditional handicraft preservation (naze naze Dulong textile, China New Folk Arts), art therapy initiatives, sustainable design funding, and international cultural exchange platforms spanning 20 countries.

Product overview

北京当代艺术基金会（BCAF）是一家成立于2008年的艺术基金会，致力于成为中国最具先锋活力的资助性艺术基金会。作为公募性艺术基金会（非技术产品公司），BCAF通过多种专项基金和项目支持文化创新、艺术公益、国际交流和青年人才扶植。主要产品包括：青年艺术家资助计划与'新声'艺术家推新计划提供人才支持；'艺同生长'乡村儿童美育项目提供美育实践；'中国新民艺'支持传统手工艺创新；'艺术疗愈'系列关注心理健康；'可持续设计资助计划'支持可持续设计领域的公益创投；国际文化交流项目促进民间艺术交流；以及《艺术+》媒体节目等。这些项目通过专项基金运作，形成覆盖艺术创作全链条的公益生态。

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BCAF Youth Artist Grant Program (BCAF青年艺术家资助计划) Provides funding for youth creators across art creation, rural children education, ethnic minority women support, exhibitions, collection, artist residencies, and international cooperation. Targets independent young Chinese artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers, writers, and creative practitioners seeking financial support and international exposure.
• New Voice - China Emerging Artist Promotion Plan (新声——中国新生代艺术家推新计划) Mentorship and media program jointly launched by BCAF, Caixin Vision, and Caixin Creative to discover new-generation talent across ten art fields including art, design, and literature. Provides creation grants and international cultural exchange opportunities. Co-produced 20+ episodes across 2 seasons reaching 60M+ cumulative impressions and 15M+ video views.
• Yi Tong Sheng Zhang - Rural Children Art Education Project (艺同生长·乡村儿童美育项目) Long-term rural children's art education initiative built on 'locality' and 'independence' principles, delivering seasonal art classes (Four Seasons Art Classes), master workshops, summer camps, and a local art textbook 'Drawing My Hometown'. Implemented at Da Nanpo Primary School (Henan) and Tacheng Central Primary School (Yunnan), serving approximately 52+ students at Da Nanpo since 2020.
• China New Folk Arts (中国新民艺) Traditional handicraft innovation program supporting ethnic minority craft groups including Dulong weaving (Yunnan), Xia cloth (Hunan), Tibetan wool felting (Qinghai), Tibetan sheep wool blanket (Tibet), and Nanjing Yunjin brocade. Pairs traditional artisans with contemporary designers for cross-disciplinary product innovation. Partnered with VOGUE China for international exhibition reach including Paris Révélations Biennale 2023 and London Craft Week 2023.
• Art Therapy Series (艺术疗愈系列) Mental health and wellness program including the 'Space Within and Without: State of Mind' interdisciplinary forum (co-hosted with UCCA, June 2023), the 'Mind Gathering Space' Community Art Therapy Festival (700+ participants in Beijing, December 2023), and accessibility design exhibitions. Focuses on end-of-life care, youth depression, urban anxiety, and special populations.
• Sustainable Design Grant Plan (可持续设计资助计划) China's first cultural public welfare venture investment in the arts and public welfare sector. Collects sustainable design works supporting children's friendliness, public community spaces, rural sustainable design, and technology/AI sustainable design. Includes the Sustainable Design Award (annual) with categories such as Best Rural Space, Best Public Space, and Best Rural Community Product Design.
• naze naze Dulong Ethnic Textile Project (naze naze独龙族织毯项目) Traditional weaving initiative co-launched with klee klee in 2015 to support Dulong ethnic minority women in Yunnan through textile production. Women weave in their spare time to generate additional income; the program has grown to 53+ weavers over 8 years, established a local community space in Dulong River Township, and achieved international exhibition reach across Norway, Netherlands, UK, and France. naze naze Studio was established as the program's independent brand and operational entity in April 2023.
• International Cultural Exchange Projects (国际文化交流项目) International exchange programming including master collaborations and folk cultural exchange such as the 2023 China-US Youth Music Festival at Carnegie Hall (New York), Paris International Craft Innovation Biennale (Révélations) 2023, London Craft Week, UN Headquarters 'China Sustainable Design' exhibition (2023), and UN Chinese Language Day featuring Liu Cixin's talk on sustainable futures in science fiction.
• BCAF Artist Residency (BCAF艺术驻留) Residency program supporting artistic creation and cross-boundary collaboration across visual arts, literature, architecture, film, music, theater, dance, and design. The Yunnan Weixi Tacheng Residency Program awards selected artists a monthly living stipend of 3,000 RMB, up to 4,000 RMB for round-trip travel, up to 10,000 RMB for art education materials, free accommodation, accident insurance, and a living package from the donor.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported 1,500+ creators across 20 countries with over 46 million RMB in cumulative grants as of 2023 H1
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UCCA尤伦斯当代艺术中心 (UCCA Center for Contemporary Art)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF and UCCA co-hosted the 'Space Within and Without: State of Mind' interdisciplinary art therapy forum in June 2023 at UCCA, bringing together art therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and artists to promote cross-disciplinary art healing research and public programs. This is a long-term strategic partnership building on UCCA's public practice expertise in art therapy.
• 哈佛大学metaLAB (Harvard metaLAB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF and Harvard metaLAB co-organized the 'Future Stage Manifesto: Asia' online forum in September 2022 and supported the IOTF 2023 Fourth International Online Theater Festival with 39 productions from 23 countries. BCAF serves as the Chinese regional partner for Harvard metaLAB's international digital humanities and performing arts research programs.
• VOGUE服饰与美容 (VOGUE China)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF and VOGUE China jointly launched the 'VOGUE China Handcraft Project' in 2022, pairing 10 Chinese traditional handcraft groups (including Dulong, Naxi, Lisu, Tibetan, and other ethnic minorities) with internationally renowned designers to create contemporary handcraft products. The program won charity auctions at Yongle and Phillips auction houses, and participated in the 2023 Paris Biennale des Métiers d'Art et du Design (Révélations) in France.
• 哥伦比亚大学 (Columbia University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-organized the 11th 'Women and the Silent Screen' international conference with Columbia University's Film and Media Studies department in June 2022, examining women pioneers in world cinema history. BCAF also supported film screenings and roundtable discussions featuring Chinese women filmmakers.
• 中国驻联合国代表团 / 联合国中国书会 (UN China Mission / UN Chinese Book Society)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-organized multiple events at the UN Headquarters including the 'China Sustainable Design' exhibition at the UN General Assembly hall (2023), the 2023 UN Chinese Language Day series featuring Liu Cixin's talk on sustainable futures in science fiction, and the 'Sound Rhythm 2023' public program at the UN. These initiatives promote Chinese cultural soft power in international multilateral settings.
• 左靖工作室 / 广州美术学院 / 北京师范大学 (Zuo Jing Studio / GAFA / BNU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-initiated the Da Nanpo Four Seasons Art Classes program in 2020 with Zuo Jing Studio and Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts' Cross-media Art School, supported by Beijing Normal University's Future Design Seed Fund. The program has sustained rural children's art education at Da Nanpo Primary School for 3+ years, producing seasonal art curricula and a local art textbook 'Drawing My Hometown'.
• 爱奇艺 / 创新中国中心 (iQiyi / Innovation China Center)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-hosted the '2023 China-US Youth Music Festival' with iQiyi and Innovation China Center at New York's Carnegie Hall, featuring Chinese experimental musicians performing alongside international jazz artists. The festival was supported by the Chinese Permanent Mission to the UN and received a Citation from the Mayor of New York City.
• 世界卫生组织 (WHO)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF partnered with WHO on a mental health film project directed by acclaimed Korean director Lee Changdong, producing the short film 'Heartbeat' (2022) addressing depression awareness. The project aimed to promote public education on depression through international cinematic collaboration.
• 王兵 / 阿彼察邦 (Wang Bing / Apichatpong Weerasethakul)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-produced director Wang Bing's film 'Youth' which was selected for Cannes Film Festival main competition in 2023, and co-produced Apichatpong Weerasethakul's film 'Memoria' (winner of Cannes Jury Prize 2021) which premiered in China through BCAF's support. BCAF Chair Cui Qiao served as co-producer on both films.
• 丹麦文化中心 (Danish Cultural Center)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF partnered with the Danish Cultural Center and Ali Health to co-host the 'You See We Feel: Be the Light of Your World' accessibility design exhibition at the Danish Cultural Center in Beijing, focusing on design solutions for visually impaired populations. This project won a Bronze Lion at Cannes Lions 2023 and the Gold Award at the 2023 China Design Intelligence Award.
• 财新视听 / 财新创意 (Caixin Media)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF and Caixin Media co-initiated the 'New Voice — China Emerging Artists Promotion Plan' (新声计划), a mentorship and media program featuring 20+ episodes across 2 seasons, reaching 60M+ cumulative impressions and 15M+ video views across platforms including Caixin, Tencent, and Xiaohongshu.
• 一扇文化 / 湃制作 (One Fan Culture / Pai Production)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-produced the 'Art Plus' (艺术+) interview series with One Fan Culture and Pai Production, with Tencent News as primary platform partner. The 6-episode first season featured artists from theater, comedy, cinematography, music production, architecture, and curatorial fields.
• 联合国人口基金驻华代表处 (UNFPA China)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-supported the youth photography exhibition 'Ripple Effects: Waves of a Woman's Life' with UNFPA China in April 2023, showcasing 50+ photographs selected from thousands of entries in a youth photography competition about women's diverse roles in Chinese society.
• 中央美术学院 (CAFA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF collaborated with CAFA on the 'Future Stage' international theater research program, and CAFA students participated in BCAF's art education programs as mentors and teaching assistants. BCAF also partnered with CAFA's Art Management and Education School for the rural artist residency program.
• 北京师范大学 (Beijing Normal University)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF received Future Design Seed Fund support from Beijing Normal University for its Da Nanpo Four Seasons Art Classes program. BNU's School of Future Design also co-designed the art education curriculum and participated in the 'Drawing My Hometown' local art textbook project.
• 巴黎国际工艺创新双年展 / 伦敦手工艺周 (Paris Révélations Biennale / London Craft Week)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF led the China national pavilion at the 6th Paris Biennale des Métiers d'Art et du Design (Révélations) in June 2023 with the 'China New Handcraft x International Masters' exhibition, featuring traditional Chinese crafts paired with international designers. The Dulong textile project was separately exhibited at the 9th London Craft Week in May 2023.
• 小红书 (Xiaohongshu)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF and Xiaohongshu jointly established the 'BCAF-Xiaohongshu Intangible Cultural Heritage Innovation' Special Fund in September 2023 to support non-heritage artisans partnering with Xiaohongshu's young designers, establishing rural craft workshops in Yunnan Dali and Lijiang, and promoting Chinese traditional crafts internationally.
• 阿里健康 / 阿里巴巴公益 (Ali Health / Alibaba Public Welfare)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-established the 'BCAF Art for Health Special Fund' with Ali Health, implementing accessibility design projects including the 'You See We Feel' visually impaired exhibition (Danish Cultural Center, March 2023) and a co-branded charity gift box. The braille packaging project won the 2023 China Design Intelligence Award Gold Award and Cannes Lions Bronze Lion.
• 蓝盒子 (Blue Box)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF partnered with Blue Box's Sleep Aid Plan (助眠计划) to donate 840 mattresses and 840 pillows to 800+ students at Tacheng Central Boarding Primary School in Yunnan in September 2023, improving the sleep conditions of rural boarding students.
• 纽约卡内基音乐厅 (New York Carnegie Hall)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF co-hosted the '2023 China-US Youth Music Festival' at Carnegie Hall, featuring Chinese experimental musicians (Wu Na, Li Daiguo, Huanqing) alongside international jazz artists (INNOUT, Aaron Parks quartet). The festival received support from the Chinese Permanent Mission to the UN and New York City's official commendation.
• 阿那亚 (Aranya)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF and Aranya co-organized a 5-day seaside art and culture summer camp in August 2023, bringing 11 children from Da Nanpo Primary School to Aranya Beidaihe to experience the ocean for the first time, visit art museums (UCCA Dune, Aranya Art Center), and participate in creative workshops.
• 北京零废弃循环利用产业促进会 / 可口可乐中国 (Beijing Zero-Waste Association / Coca-Cola China)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF and Coca-Cola China co-launched the 'Bottle 凡' (Not-Ordinary) recycling and reuse collection program, inviting designers to create products from recycled materials. The winning design was a cat shelter made from recycled plastic bottles, promoting sustainable living through accessible design.
• 三江源生态环境保护协会 / 帕卓巴合作社 (Sanjiang源 ECO-NGO / Panzhaba Cooperative)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCAF supported the Panzhaba nomadic cooperative (at 4,700m altitude in Sanjiang源 region) through its first Sustainable Design Award (Best Rural Community Product Design), helping preserve traditional Tibetan nomadic handicraft skills and improve livelihoods for local herder families.
• ANOBO艺无界 (ANOBO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022BCAF and ANOBO jointly established the 'BCAF One World Special Fund' to build an innovative children's art exchange platform, focusing on promoting art education, cross-disciplinary children's education, and global literacy education for children. ANOBO is an international education R&D team that runs the annual '1 Tree, 1 World' ANOBO World Children Science Art Exhibition.
• 东边野兽 (East Side Beast)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022BCAF and East Side Beast (a Chinese sustainable skincare and lifestyle brand) jointly established the 'BCAF East Side Oasis Special Fund' in October 2022, focusing on art education for rural children, women's empowerment, and handicraft innovation in Yunnan Weixi Tacheng area. The fund has supported artist residencies, school uniform donations (901 sets), and art education workshops.
• 亚洲文化协会 (ACC Asia Cultural Council)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022BCAF and ACC co-established the 'BCAF-ACC International Residency Scholarship' in 2019, supporting 10+ Chinese and American young artists annually for artistic residencies in China and the US. The program also published the 'International Art Residency White Paper'.
• klee klee / naze naze织物工作室 (naze naze Studio)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015BCAF co-initiated the Dulong ethnic minority textile project with klee klee in 2015. The naze naze Dulong textile program has been sustained for 8 years, growing to 53+ weavers and achieving international exhibition reach (Norway, Netherlands, UK). naze naze Studio was officially established in April 2023 as the program's independent brand and operational entity. Shanghai Ziran Clothing Co., Ltd. (Ziran/klee klee's parent company) serves as the primary donor for the program's operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation: Large state-affiliated Chinese public fundraising foundation operating across rural poverty alleviation. Comparable to BCAF as a registered public fundraising foundation with 3A-equivalent ratings and rural program portfolios.
• Ford Foundation China: International philanthropic foundation with a long-standing China program supporting arts, culture, and civil society. Comparable to BCAF in funding arts and culture initiatives, though at significantly larger scale and with broader thematic scope.
• Narada Foundation (南都公益基金会): One of China's largest independent philanthropic foundations focused on civil society development. Comparable to BCAF as a major Chinese grantmaking nonprofit, though operating at broader social-sector scale rather than arts-specific.

Direct peers

• UCCA Kids / UCCA Foundation: UCCA's children's art education and foundation arm, directly comparable to BCAF's rural children art education programs (Da Nanpo Four Seasons Art Classes). Both organizations run multi-year arts education initiatives for young Chinese audiences.
• Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA): Beijing-based contemporary art institution and BCAF's strategic partner in co-hosting the 2023 'Space Within and Without: State of Mind' art therapy forum. Both organizations operate in the contemporary art philanthropy space in China and frequently co-produce programs.
• Today Art Museum: One of China's first private contemporary art museums, comparable to BCAF as an independent Chinese arts institution developing public programs and educational outreach in the contemporary art space.
• Asia Cultural Council (ACC): International arts philanthropy organization that co-established the BCAF-ACC International Residency Scholarship in 2019. ACC's mission of cross-border cultural exchange through grants and residencies closely mirrors BCAF's core programs.
• Minsheng Art Museum: Shanghai-based private contemporary art museum with public practice programming, structurally similar to BCAF in bridging contemporary art with broader social and cultural engagement in China.

Emerging players

• Ano Kid Foundation (ANOBO): International children's art education organization that co-established BCAF's One World Special Fund. Directly comparable to BCAF's children-focused programming with overlapping educational mission and global footprint.
• klee klee / Ziran: Shanghai-based sustainable fashion brand and BCAF's co-founding partner in the naze naze Dulong textile project. Comparable as an emerging player in purpose-driven cultural commerce, with overlapping focus on ethnic minority craft preservation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdf-JyAzaX2s2kA6gla122g
• Facebookfacebook.com/Beijing-Contemporary-Art-Foundation-712472378811740
• Instagraminstagram.com/bcaf_bj
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beijing-contemporary-art-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation