Researchers from the institute interviewed more than 300 artists, scholars, designers, entrepreneurs and practitioners from China's 34 provinces and autonomous regions, gathering textual and video documentation for the institute's database.

Based on the research, nearly 100 projects were selected from more than 300 to be showcased in the exhibition's four categories of Village, Ecology, Community and Digital. The exhibition presents the artistic, innovative and sustainable practices taking place around China since reform and opening-up began, particularly in the past decade.