African artists visit a wood carving studio in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, June 22 and select pieces of wood with which they'll create their own artworks. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A delegation of artists from African countries began a 30-day exchange program dedicated to wood carving in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, June 22.

The program, hosted by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Zhejiang's culture department, aims to strengthen communication between China and Africa, specifically in the arts.

Zhejiang is the birthplace and home of Huangyang and Dongyang wood carving styles, two items of national intangible heritage famous for their finesse and precision.

Combining theory and practice, the program allows African artists to learn more about Zhejiang's crafting techniques, as well as about Chinese culture.

"[Our visitors] are wood carving masters in their own countries but we have an opportunity to share with them the innovative ideas behind China's wood carving traditions, some of which may be useful for their creations," said Liu Xiaoping, one of the program's mentors.

After visiting Liu's studio, one artist from the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire noted the different skills required in Chinese wood carving and said he would attempt to broaden his own artistic horizons in response.

An exhibition of woodcarvings created by the African artists during their stay in Zhejiang will be held as part of the program's closing ceremony in mid-July.