Youth night schools in high demand in SW China's Guizhou

The rhythms of African drums shatter the night, jazz dancers move with the beat, and ukulele strings twinkle under the starlight… On the evening of March 1, 2025, a performance kicked off in Guanshanhu district, Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou Province, where young people attending the district's youth night school showcased their passion for life. "I never knew life after work could be this exciting!" exclaimed Zhou, a local resident.

Young people perform African drums during a performance held in Guanshanhu district, Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Guanshanhu District Committee)

Today, youth night schools have expanded across nine cities and prefectures in Guizhou, reaching deep into counties and rural areas.

In March 2024, Guanshanhu district opened the first youth night school in the province. Since its opening, the night school has gained popularity, growing from one campus to 16, with course offerings expanding from just two to 67. Classes now cover a wide range of subjects, including music, dance, practical skills, sports, and traditional culture.

Young people attend a calligraphy class at a youth night school in Guanshanhu district, Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Guanshanhu District Committee)

With bamboo flute lessons priced at just 15 yuan (about $2.07) per session, baking classes at 20 yuan, and even the most expensive swimming lessons costing just a little over 80 yuan, the affordable fees have become a major draw for young learners.

Guizhou's youth night schools make use of spaces like senior universities and youth art centers, taking advantage of off-peak hours to reduce costs. They also invite university professors, intangible cultural heritage inheritors, and industry experts to ensure high-quality instruction.

Records from the youth night school in Guanshanhu district show that nearly 400 classes have been established, with over 5,800 learners enrolled.

In a candle art class at a youth night school in Sinan county, Tongren city of Guizhou, Yuan Zongfeng wielded a bamboo stick and wax knife, creating delicate wax flowers. She also designed creative pieces like earrings and hair accessories.

These hands-on experiences have inspired young people to embrace traditional crafts, showcasing them through short videos and e-commerce livestreams, thereby promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of intangible cultural heritage.

A young woman experiences candle art at a youth night school in Sinan county, Tongren city, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Sinan County Committee)

Guizhou's youth night school program traces its roots back to the youth volunteer poverty alleviation night school established in 2017. Initially focused on literacy and agricultural training to support impoverished communities, the program has since expanded to include subjects like e-commerce, business management, and legal knowledge, with a focus on developing young talents to support rural revitalization.

People attend a tea ceremony class at a night school in Shiqian county, Tongren city, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Shiqian County Committee)

Today, 500 youth night schools are integrated into Guizhou's rural revitalization strategy, cultivating 13,000 young individuals skilled in driving growth and opportunity in agriculture, e-commerce, entrepreneurship, and more.

Women learn classical dance movements under the teacher's guidance at a youth night school in Baiyun district, Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Baiyun District Committee)

People watch a performance presented by young people at a youth night school in Guanshanhu district, Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Guanshanhu District Committee)