The exhibition is included in the project Painting Our Canals, which is sponsored by the Beijing Culture and Arts Fund this year. The Beijing Culture and Arts Fund is a nonprofit fund founded by the Beijing Bureau of Culture and Tourism, that provides support in the three major fields of stage art, cultural exchange and the cultivation of art talents.

The lead institution applying for the Painting Our Canals project is Beijing Normal University, featuring a series of events themed on the canal culture in both China and Panama, including inviting artists from both countries to go on sketch trips together, as well as hosting academic forums and exhibitions.