Starting from August 31 to September 6, the 8th AAF, with the theme of "learning from each other, and developing in a harmonious step", will hold four main activities, namely, the grand performance of "Bravo! ASEAN" jointly staged by ASEAN and Chinese artists, the "Theme Conference of Asian (10＋3) Art Museum Directors Forum", "Asian Wonders - Art Exhibition of ASEAN", and "The 2nd NEACH & (10＋3) Cultural Personnel Resource Development and Cooperation Training Class". As the first regional international arts festival held by China, this AAF aimed at the cultural exchange among the Asian countries. Compared with the previous seven AAF, the Festival this year reaches a new height, in terms of scale and contents.

The year of 2006 is the 15th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relationship. The "ASEAN Culture Week" will display the different colorful culture of ASEAN member countries in Beijing . The "Theme Conference of Asian (10＋3) Art Museum Directors Forum" is another highlight of the Festival, focusing on the present situation and development of modern Asian art, the exchange of each other's experience on collecting, exhibiting and researching, the establishment of regional cooperation system, and the promotion of common development of Asian art museums.

This AAF also exerts the modern arts' proportion, such as Singapore and Malaysia send their best modern dance troupes to perform in China firstly.