A file photo shows paintings by autistic individuals are displayed at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing on March 31, 2024, during the venue's annual "Light It Up Blue" charity event. [Photo by Wu Xiaoshan/China.org.cn]

The National Aquatics Center in Beijing will showcase outstanding youth artwork this summer, celebrating the city's historic achievement as the world's first to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

The competition, organized by the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, aims to promote Beijing's legacy as a dual-Olympic city, create engaging visitor experiences and enhance cultural engagement at Olympic venues. Organizers will select roughly 2,000 pieces from 300,000 submissions for the exhibition.

The exhibition will incorporate the venue's distinctive architectural design to further amplify Beijing's dual-Olympic heritage. Following the successful "Colorful Cube" exhibition in August 2023, the center will again partner with the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), whose renowned professors will provide artistic direction.

The initiative is expected to help transform the venue into a premier cultural and tourism destination, complete with new souvenir designs and enhanced visitor experiences.