关於年度主题
CNEX是一个以视觉影像为核心媒介的平台。CNEX，See NEXt；但，要看什么？怎么看？
CNEX希望有系统有组织地对华人当代社会的变迁历程进行测绘与纪录，因此，每年将策划一个大主题，来勾勒当年的方向。古人有云：因指见月。年度主题就像那根指头，导引观者看到夜空的明月；在这主题之下，我们将搜罗或支持或创作纪实影像、图片、文字作品、装置艺术…等等，让纪录者与创作者能够在年度主题之下，依其所见，表现出明月的圆或缺、明或暗、升或降，共同创造出该年度深具影响力的文化产品与事件。
年度主题的设定，将尽量贴近当代华人生活与生命的核心，并且与当时的重大事件或是社会潮流有暗合之处，俾使纪录者跟创作者能够透过对于事件与潮流本身的测绘，或对其震波的捕捉，而能够准确、即时而有力地传达生活与生命的能量动线，留下时代的见证。
CNEX每年举办年度主题工作坊，邀请华人地区青年导演提案，并请资深导演以及相关专家与会，评选出最佳方案给予拍摄补助。另外也举办网路纪实影片征集竞赛，让更多的年轻网友有参与以及表达的机会。CNEX也会邀请文字工作者、摄影工作者以及艺术家，针对主题创作作品或发表专文。
除了华人对自己周遭的观察纪录之外，CNEX也欢迎来自世界各地的朋友针对年度主题提出对于华人社会的看法；CNEX并且将搜罗其他文明、国家与地区，跟年度主题相关的纪实影像与视觉作品，以延伸认知、拓展视野。
纲举而目张，年度主题就像经线，围绕主题创作的作品就像纬线。CNEX期待在十年之后，透过十个年度主题，以及无数的作品的经纬交织，可以编织出一张足够份量的21世纪华人社会变迁地图，以供当代参酌、供后世引鉴。
About the Annual Theme
CNEX is a visual platform. CNEX, see NEXt. So, what will we see, and how do we see it?
CNEX aims to systematically record and preserve the evolution of contemporary Chinese society. We select a major theme each year to serve as a bearing for the historical development of that year. As the ancient Chinese say, follow the pointing direction of the finger and you will see the moon. The annual theme is like the finger that points the viewer to the moon in the sky. Under the chosen theme, we collect, support and create nonfiction visual and audio documents as well as artworks of other forms. The creators may give their own representations of the changes happening in the year under the general theme and create influential artworks and events for the year.
The annual theme is selected such that it is at the center of the life of contemporary Chinese, and reflects the major social developments. Through the representation of the events and undercurrents related to the theme, artists may accurately, timely, and powerfully grasp the energy and evolution of the Chinese society to produce a memoir of the times.
CNEX organizes workshop on the theme of the year. Young Chinese directors submit relevant film proposals, which are to be screened and selected by senior directors and experts. The chosen proposals will be produced in association with CNEX. At the same time, CNEX organizes an online film submission, providing more opportunities for the young netizens to participate and express themselves. To broaden the scope, CNEX also invites writers, photographers, and artists to create works about the annual theme.
Besides observing and recording by Chinese, CNEX also welcomes friends from all over the world to share their thoughts about Chinese on the annual themes. On the other hand, CNEX will invite and exhibit the nonfiction visual works from other countries and regions that are undergoing similar social changes so as to broaden our horizon.
With a relevant annual theme in place every year to inspiring artistic creation and collecting documentaries over the next ten years, CNEX expect to draw a map of social changes of Chinese societies at the beginning of the 21st century. Such a map will surely provide valuable insights for not just us now, but also for the generations to come in the future.
