On August 7, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Exchange Exhibition of Vologda Oblast, Russia, opened at the Qujiang Branch of Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Center.

This June, a selection of Shaanxi's intangible cultural heritage items was exhibited in Russia at the Museum of Traditional Chinese Culture in Vologda Oblast. Now, the Vologda exhibition in Shaanxi serves as a vibrant platform for subnational cultural exchange in the new era, deepening the partnership between the two friendly regions.

Vladimir Osipovsky, Minister of Culture of Vologda Oblast, Russia, stated that the exhibition brings a distinctive selection of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) items to Xi'an, showcasing Russia's rich and diverse culture. Featuring traditional Vologda lace, wood carvings, ethnic musical instruments, and painted porcelain, it aims to further deepen the friendship between the two regions.

In November 2025, Shaanxi Province and Vologda Oblast established sister-province ties and signed an MOU on cultural, tourism and sports cooperation, pledging to deepen ICH preservation, artistic exchanges and people-to-people interactions. As a tangible result, a permanent exhibition of top Shaanxi ICH works opened at the Vologda State Art Gallery in June 2025, featuring Fengxiang clay sculptures, New Year woodblock prints, paper-cuts and Guanzhong shadow puppets that vividly convey Sanqin's rich cultural heritage.

As a reciprocal exchange exhibition, the Vologda Oblast Intangible Cultural Heritage Exchange Exhibition will be open to the public free of charge on a long-term basis. It aims to build a two-way channel for cultural connectivity and consolidate the foundation for exchanges and cooperation between the two friendly regions.

This exhibition marks a concrete step by Shaanxi to use public cultural venues for boosting global people-to-people exchanges and promoting its intangible cultural heritage. Seizing this opportunity, the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Center will regularly host public visits, cultural lectures, ICH workshops, and youth aesthetic education programs, expanding Shaanxi's international cultural channels and bringing its vivid stories to audiences at home and abroad.