Recently, Jiachuang Bay has become particularly lively, with many young people flocking to the garden-style industrial park to take photos. This is due to the 「Read the Newspaper: Returning to the Era of Print Media」 slow flash event, featuring a giant magazine photo wall and retro photo booths that transport visitors back to the fragrant age of ink and paper.

Fashion enthusiast Xiaowei expressed her excitement, saying, 「I didn’t expect to subscribe to foreign editions of ‘ELLE’ and ‘BAZAAR’ right here in a trendy park!」 This cultural event, created in collaboration with Jiaxing Post, is the latest initiative by the Xinjia Street in Nanhu District, leveraging the cultural and creative industry alliance.

Bridging Tradition and Trend

Upon entering the event, attendees are greeted by four creative photo spots that instantly evoke the days of popular magazines. The giant magazine photo wall at the entrance catches the eye, with many citizens stopping to take pictures, some even picking up the park's creative journal, the 「Baymin Daily,」 to browse through. Nearby, a vintage mailbox and a 28-inch bicycle add to the nostalgic atmosphere, where some people take out stationery to write letters to their future selves and drop them into the mailbox. The subscription point for foreign magazines is also popular, with staff explaining that visitors can subscribe to over 80 foreign publications to easily access overseas information. The most popular attraction among young people is the photo booth, with many smiling as they hold their freshly printed photos, exclaiming, 「This is such a nostalgic throwback to our youth!」

As the fast pace of the city gets consumed by electronic screens, we hope to awaken memories of the 1970s and 80s, an era dominated by newspapers and letters, through our ‘Old Factory New Life’ project. Our goal is to reignite discussions about reading and allow people to experience the texture of print media,」 explained Shen Yiting, the person in charge of Jiachuang Bay. The 「Read the Newspaper」 event began on September 25 and will last for three months.

This is not Jiachuang Bay's first cultural endeavor. In late June, they organized a summer creative fair, followed by an outdoor film festival in mid-August in collaboration with Zhanyan Community, screening nostalgic films like 「Hello, Li Huanying」 and 「Youth.」

Jiachuang Bay, which used to be the Jiaxing Electric Control Third Factory, is located near Zhanyan New Village and Electric Control Factory Dormitory, which served as employee housing in the 70s and 80s. Many residents are 'second' and 'third' generation factory workers. 「We hope to attract young people back through creative markets, outdoor film festivals, and retro reading activities, allowing more people to experience the cultural charm of this transformed space,」 Shen Yiting added.

The rich array of cultural activities is driven by the cultural and creative industry alliance of Xinjia Street. Established at the end of August, the ‘Xinjia Cultural and Creative Industry Alliance’ includes members like Jiaxing Film Group and Jiangxi Postal Branch and aims to activate cultural resources, promote industrial integration, and enhance regional brand influence.

「We aim to leverage various resources to keep traditional customs alive,」 stated a relevant official from Xinjia Street. As an important area in the Nanhu District with deep cultural heritage and economic vitality, Xinjia Street boasts cultural landmarks like the Yuehe Historical Block. It has been actively promoting the agglomeration and upgrading of the cultural and creative industries, gradually forming an industrial ecosystem characterized by the blend of tradition and modernity.

From 「Industrial Rust Belt」 to 「Cultural Showcase」

The transformation and development of Jiachuang Bay, an essential platform for the cultural and creative industry development in Xinjia Street, is impressive. The project spans 9 acres and had been idle for nearly ten years due to poor transportation, densely populated old neighborhoods, and insufficient supporting facilities. In 2024, Xinjia Street commissioned relevant departments to commence renovation and enhancement, collaborating with the Jiaxing Land Spatial Planning Institute and Zhejiang Jiachuang Urban Operation Management Company to develop an integrated approach to ‘planning, construction, management, and operation,’ transforming this once-neglected facility into a vibrant innovation space.

Only three months post-renovation, the park has welcomed seven innovative companies such as JD Technology and SANY Conference Services, alongside four cultural and creative firms like Simple Sample and five trendy commercial establishments like Bird Nest Coffee, forming a diverse and thriving ecosystem that serves as a vivid example of 「strengthening the main urban area and enhancing its prominence.」

From a series of popular cultural events to the formal establishment of the cultural and creative industry alliance, and the impressive transformation of Jiachuang Bay with the influx of quality creative enterprises, the development of the cultural and creative industry in Xinjia Street is advancing positively.

A broader blueprint is unfolding: the Yangshuai land plot will see the construction of two 100-meter commercial buildings, with projects like Longzhuangrun Headquarters being introduced; the Zhangjibang and Ferry Bridge Port plots will also be upgraded to reinforce the 「northern city gateway」 status. 「The cultural alliance is the ‘soft power’ of urban renewal. We aim to rejuvenate the economy through culture and create new landscapes in the old city,」 emphasized a relevant official from Xinjia Street.