#17 Artful Entrepreneurs: Running a Cultural Venue in Beijing
Middle Earth - China’s cultural industry podcast
English - August 21, 2019 20:46 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBTV & Film Arts china chinese culture film movies music censorship ipo education the world of chinese Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
This week on the Middle Earth Podcast, Aladin sits down over a pint with Sun Yao (孙遥), the proprietor of his favorite local cultural venue-cum-cafe, to talk about the business end of the cultural industry in China. Like the owners of many niche bars and cafes across China, Sun seeks to turn a profit at his hutong establishment, Camera Stylo, by screening films, hosting live events, and otherwise trying to make art pay.
A film buff and dedicated entrepreneur, Sun shares his four years of experience running a small business in the hutongs of Beijing trying to bring films and cultural conversations to his diverse clientele. In spite of a rough early start — some of which he spent sleeping in the cafe itself — Sun has managed to ensure Camera Stylo has been able to survive and thrive in a challenging environment.
Featuring:
Sun Yao | 孙遥 : Proprietor of Camera Stylo
Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch!
Recommended watching and listening:
- Aotu Space 凹凸空间 (WeChat Account: aotuspace_bj)
- China Film Archive 中国电影资料馆 | Website
With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support.