BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The box office revenue of commercial performances in China reached 30.408 billion yuan (around 4.49 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, the China Association of Performing Arts (CAPA) said Friday.

This figure, which excludes performances in entertainment venues, represents a year-on-year increase of 9.41 percent, according to a market report released by the CAPA.

Audience numbers for commercial performances topped 98.8 million, up 5.28 percent from the same period last year.

The first half of the year saw a busy schedule of top-tier touring productions, a boom in new performance spaces and sustained strong demand for live shows.

Much of the momentum, analysts say, has been driven by government support measures aimed at boosting the performance industry.