In 1995, Beijing Television Station hosted the first Songs from Our Land: Foreigners Singing Chinese Songs competition. Foreign friends living in China came from all over the country to display their talents and join in the fun. The final round of competition was broadcast during Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year, and was one of the highest rated specials that holiday season.

In the years since then, the annual competition has grown in scope and scale, and the ratings have continued to climb. A survey of Spring Festival program popularity conducted in 2001 showed Songs from Our Land in third place, following only the CCTV and BTV gala variety specials. It is now broadcast in Hong Kong, North America and Europe, as well as throughout China. In 2002, the competition was expanded to include Chinese dance, balladry, crosstalk, martial arts, opera and modern drama. To reflect this exciting change, it received a new name: Arts from Our Land.

The program has been honored with a number of prestigious national awards. These include the Starlight, Spring Swallow, Rainbow and Gold Eagle awards.

Since its debut, Songs from Our Land/Arts from Our Land has attracted some 2,000 competitors of all ages from more than 40 countries around the world. Every year, people of all races, creeds and nationalities gather together to display their love of Chinese arts and culture; to show off their talents in amicable competition; to make new friends and reunite with old ones. Together with viewers in China and abroad, they celebrate Spring Festival in a spirit of international fellowship.