Marx's theory of art production has evolved through three stages:germination,formation,and development,constituting a vital part of his literary and artistic thought.A thorough study of Marx's theory of art production is conducted with focus on clarifying the three basic characteristics of"productive labor"and"non-productive labor"in art production,the identity and imbalance between art production and material production,and the dialectical relationship between art production and art consumption.Marx's theory of art production has profound and lasting theoretical significance and momentous contemporary value in guiding and understanding the ad-vancement of cultural and artistic cause in the new era,providing a fundamental compass for orienting artistic creation in this period,and offering crucial theoretical underpinning for a dialectical view of art production under socialist market economy conditions.