island6 Arts Center is an artist-founded, artist-run, "art first" not-for-profit organization founded in Shanghai in 2006. The center is dedicated to identifying emerging artists and encouraging them through risk-taking programs that explore new curatorial models and innovative projects. island6's mission is to provide a forum and support for contemporary artists whose works examine timely and timeless social, aesthetic, and philosophical issues. Since 2006, island6 Arts Center has exhibited 198 artists from 21 different countries, sponsored 110 resident artists, organized 39 exhibitions, and initiated over 1900 art projects. In 2007, under the artistic direction of Thomas Charvériat & Zane Mellupe, island6 Arts Center established Liu Dao-- a research group including artists, engineers, and technicians devoted to developing technological platforms for the Arts. Liu Dao explores the cultural ramifications of the convergence of art, technology, and science and strives to influence the aesthetic trajectory of the global artist community. Every "art forward" island6 exhibition is the product of multi-disciplined, collaborative in-house workshops.