OLD factories and warehouses are being converted into arts and cultural centers housing restaurants, cafes and workshops where innovative young talents can pursue their creative muses. These abandoned industrial areas are also turning into lifestyle venues where the public can go to view relics of the past and the modern designs that will shape the future. Minhang is no exception in the trend. Come see for yourself what artist colonies have on offer.

Xijiao Xinqiao Creative Park

The Xijiao Xinqiao Creative Park on 731 Hongxu Road was the first such redevelopment site in Minhang. Covering 15,000 square meters, the former sweater factory took on a new role in 2006 after approval from Shanghai municipal authorities.

The transformation actually began in 2003, when Shanghai's textile industry was on the wane, said Huang Zhihong, general manger of the center. As old factory sites go, this location is relatively modern. The sweater mill was built in the 1980s.

The factory has been renovated into a "fashion, leisure, innovation and design center" because of its proximity to a popular expatriate residential complex in the Hongqiao area. The site is adjacent to the Hongmei Leisure Street, popularly known as Foreigners Street 10 and famous for its lineup of international cuisine restaurants.

The Xijiao Xinqiao Creative Park includes a glass workshop, an antique furniture pavilion, a pottery exhibition area displaying zisha (purple clay) teapots, a private museum of historic inscribed boards, architectural design companies and artisan workshops.

The Jinggu Antique Furniture Pavilion, for example, features redwood furniture dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The pieces were made in Shanxi Province.

The Hanlin Inscribed Board Museum bears silent witness to history with its collection of about 1,770 boards with famous Chinese character inscriptions. The oldest wood plaque dates back to the Song Dynasty in 1266. Its owner Hong Tao has spent 18 years collecting plaques from all over the country and conducting research into their history.

The owner of the pottery workshop is Ge Sheng, who is a disciple of Gu Jingzhou (1915-96), a zisha teapot master craftsman. Ge's exquisite works feature delicate textures, beautiful colors and refined shapes.

Hong is charged no rent and Ge pays only a nominal fee for his workshop as part of efforts to encourage more artisans and collectors to set up shop there, according to center manager Huang.

A lack of funding and inadequate publicity - obstacles of the past - are slowly being remedied. Huang said the situation is improving and he expects more government support in the future.

"We plan to turn it into a popular tourist destination in the future," Huang said.

He envisions one-hour tours for people to visit the inscribed board museum, learn the craft of making zisha teapots and watch videos about the history of the teapots, and other cultural icons.

816 Art Zone

The 816 Art Zone is tucked away in an old warehouse area of Minhang's Meilong Town. From the outside, it looks like any other somewhat dilapidated warehouse, but step inside and the scene changes radically.

Unlike the Xijiao Xinqiao Creative Park, 816 Art Zone at Lane at 816 Xinzhu Road is less well known, but it has a stronger artistic atmosphere. It is also less commercialized.

In 2005, a painter first noticed the place and moved into it. Soon, more and more artists began arriving to set up workshops.

There are now 27 artists at the zone, specializing in painting, sculpture, photography and fashion design. They come from different parts of China.

Among them is Wu Xiaoshen, a printmaker and sculptor, who moved here from the Pudong New Area across the Huangpu River. He was forced out of his former workshop when redevelopment bulldozers moved into his neighborhood. Wu relocated to an apartment that doubled as a workshop.

"I had everything I needed in the apartment, but it lacked the inspiration for creating art," Wu explained. He began idled away his time in front of television or computer games.

One day he heard about the 816 Art Zone through artist channels and decided to go out and have a look.

Wu said he fell in love with the location at first sight because it afforded him the precise atmosphere he was looking for. His inspiration has returned, he said.

"I believe artists need a mindset closely linked with environment," he said.

Printmaking works are less popular today, and Wu said his family and friends tried to persuade him to go into other, more profitable arts endeavors. But he said he has to follow his artistic soul.

"I like printmaking, and I will stick to that path," he said.

Wu hosted a printmaking exhibition on Moganshan Road recently, attracting quite a few expatriate buyers. He said he took pride in the event.

Like Wu, Zhang Zhenwei, a painter at the zone, said he suffered from lack of inspiration for years before stumbling across the warehouse colony of artists.

A good art community can elevate a common artist into a really good painter, Zhang said.

"The art zone helps me concentrate on my work," he said. "In the past, I did a lot of paintings but spent little time meditating. Now, I think more and draw less. I embed more ideas into my works."

Miao Jianguo, who specializes in traditional Chinese painting of tigers, was happy to become a protégé of 87-year-old master Lin Ximing after he moved into the zone about 18 months ago.

Miao said he works even harder now and has even participated in an arts exchange program with Taiwan.

"Painters must have dreams, and the zone provides a platform," he said.

The 816 Art Zone is under the administration of the Hangxi Village of Minhang District. The village committee gives artists freedom to host activities and manage the area.

Artists there hosted a free painting exhibition to promote art appreciation among local residents. It was the first time many neighborhood people learned of the existence of an art colony in their midst, according to Men Qing, a painter who helps coordinate activities in the zone.

The exhibition also attracted government officials, businessmen and even diplomatic personnel from foreign consuls in Shanghai.

Men, who recently completed a large canvas depicting the enduring spirit of Chinese people faced with natural disasters, said the zone will stage further events promoting art appreciation in residential complexes.

"We will price the paintings from 50 yuan (US$7.60) to 100 yuan to make them affordable to residents," he said. "Our duty is to art before money."

Yet at the end of the day, he said, 816 is not an art mart, but rather a creative incubator.

Other Artist Hubs in Shanghai

M50 Creative Park

M50, located on Moganshan Road on the south bank of Suzhou Creek, is considered the cradle of contemporary art in the city. It is a magnet for starving artists who can't afford studio space elsewhere.

M50, located in an old textile factory, has become a tourist destination similar to the well-known 798 in Beijing. The area along Suzhou Creek is fast becoming a trendy gallery area.

Bridge 8 Creative Park

Bridge 8 Creative Park on Jianguo Road M. covers more than 12,000 square meters and comprises seven buildings. It is refurbished from an old factory built in the 1970s. Just as the name indicates, the buildings are connected by bridges.

Old elements have been maintained, while the exterior décor is sleek and modern. The site is filled with architectural companies, fashion designers and galleries. Fashion shows and exhibitions are frequently staged in the area.

1933 Old Millfun Creative Park

1933 Old Millfun, located on Shajing Road, used to be the biggest abattoir in East Asia. Now, the former slaughterhouse features a stunning new architecture design that has made it a landmark in the northern area of the Bund. The park combines art and lifestyle activities.

The interior of the five-story central building is a labyrinth of concrete interior spirals, bridges, walkways and hidden staircases.