Analyzing the case of Shanghai’s M50 district through the lens of the scene requires adopting a dynamic approach that is sensitive to the concurrent developments of the area and its artistic players. This chapter will therefore unfold in six stages to present (1) the historical and territorial context of the M50, from which (2) a dynamic agglomeration of artistic activities developed, leading (3) to the emergence of a lived scene in the early 2000s, before (4) local authorities institutionalized this scene starting in 2005 (constructed scene), which (5) contributed to accelerating the neighborhood’s transformation, with a recent decline in the lived scene (6) leading to the gradual transformation of the M50 into a tourist enclave marked by an intense experienced scene and a well-established publicized scene. The aim is to summarize this case study and conclude with the main lessons to be learned for the concept of scene as defined in the Scaena project. The full chapter and book are available in open access: https://doi.org/10.60666/sed8-q492

Analyzing the case of Shanghai’s M50 district through the lens of the scene requires adopting a dynamic approach that is sensitive to the concurrent developments of the area and its artistic players. This chapter will therefore unfold in six stages to present (1) the historical and territorial context of the M50, from which (2) a dynamic agglomeration of artistic activities developed, leading (3) to the emergence of a lived scene in the early 2000s, before (4) local authorities institutionalized this scene starting in 2005 (constructed scene), which (5) contributed to accelerating the neighborhood’s transformation, with a recent decline in the lived scene (6) leading to the gradual transformation of the M50 into a tourist enclave marked by an intense experienced scene and a well-established publicized scene. The aim is to summarize this case study and conclude with the main lessons to be learned for the concept of scene as defined in the Scaena project. The full chapter and book are available in open access: https://doi.org/10.60666/sed8-q492