Suzhou Jinji Lake Arts Festival 2014 opened on the afternoon of September 11 at Suzhou Culture & Expo Center. Initiated in 2012, the third session of the annual event plans diverse activities in four categories of "Performances", "Exhibitions", "Art Forums", and "Expos". "Carmen" presented by Suzhou Ballet is the opening show and the global premiere is scheduled on September 13.

Among nine shows and 12 performances during the festival, there are a reading of classical Chinese poetry by famed artists including Pu Cunxin, piano recital by Li Yundi, concert given by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, children's play "Aladin" presented by Shanghai Puppet Theatre, and the closing show "Pine Smoke" by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan.

Other activities of the one-month event include "Self/Unself", a Dutch contemporary design exhibition opening on September 13 at Jinji Lake Art Museum, selected Northern European movies, theme calligraphy & painting exhibition in celebration of SIP's 20th anniversary, exhibition of works by students of architecture from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, and selected works by members of Loujiang Calligraphy & Painting Association.

The annual event is the first comprehensive and international arts festival in the city and becomes a cultural name card for SIP. To encourage public participation, the organizer recruits 100 people to play ukuleles, gives theme lectures about Suzhou, invites the artists of "Carmen" to talk to audience after performance, and launches the 10th Square Culture Festival. The expos scheduled include 2014 Chinese Congress and Exposition on Gerontology and Health Industry, 2014 China (Suzhou) HuaXia Housing and Furnishing Exposition, and CHINANO 2014 Conference & Expo.