Hong Kong cements role as arts hub where East meets West
- Nearly 30 overseas arts and cultural institutions are expected to sign agreements with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in March, with more art exhibits and performances to follow
Despite some setbacks in recent years, Hong Kong is still known as a global financial centre more than anything else. Thankfully, its international stature has been consolidated in the wake of a series of summits attended by top bankers and business leaders. What makes the city equally proud is its rising significance in the world of arts and culture. With more hardware and software now in place, there is a bigger role to play.
It is exciting to hear that almost 30 overseas arts and cultural institutions are expected to sign agreements with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority at a high-profile summit in late March, paving the way to bring more works of art and performances from around the world to the city. Representatives from 10 of the world’s top 40 museums and arts hubs will be at the summit, including those from the British Museum, France’s National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon, Japan’s Tokyo National Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar.
The two-day event will focus on how arts hubs help shape a city in social and economic aspects, and what advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain mean for the arts sector. The topics are meaningful and relevant as different places strive to capitalise on the synergy of arts and technology in an increasingly dynamic and competitive environment.
She battled sexism to make a ‘powerful difference’ in Hong Kong’s art scene
Echoing the government’s drive to be “back-on-stage” again, the city earlier made a strong comeback on the global arts map with a series of world-class exhibitions. The cultural summit is set to raise the city’s profile further, with thousands expected to participate in person and many more joining online. Coinciding with the staging of the Art Week and Art Basel Hong Kong, it will showcase the city’s role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as stipulated in the country’s latest five-year national development plan. It also boosts our mega events calendar and adds to our credentials as a leading arts hub in Asia.
Like it or not, art can be tinged with politics. The perceived growing political control and loss of freedoms may continue to fuel bias and scepticism in some parts of the world. With the enactment of a home-grown national security law high on the agenda, anything can easily be politicised. However, the city will continue to show its vibrancy and there is certainly more to Hong Kong than just national security. The fact that the city can gather the top brass in the arts world for a meaningful programme is the strongest proof yet that the city is well-positioned to aim higher and achieve more. It should continue to make the most of its East-meets-West cultural prowess and play a bigger role in global arts exchanges and cooperation.
