'We can't afford another generation too lazy to think', says arts adviser

Ellen Pau feels she is about to embark on a new life. Her membership in the Arts Development Council and the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority marks not just a new chapter in her artistic career but also an opportunity for her and her peers to make a difference.

"Art is no longer for art's sake," says the 52-year-old video artist and curator. "Art isn't fluff. Hong Kong has to be forward-looking regarding its cultural development, focusing on the relationship between art and life, and how art can change our lives. It's not about handing out money randomly."

Just last week, the co-founder of media art collective Videotage was appointed to the arts hub's interim acquisition committee, which has a strong say on the development of the collections that will adorn the cultural district's museums.

Pau has yet to receive details of her precise duties at West Kowloon, but she has big plans for the Arts Development Council after being elected to the funding body.

Armed with nominations from award-winning director Johnnie To Kei-fung, a former council member, and prominent independent filmmaker Vincent Chui Wan-shun, Pau was elected in October to represent the film-arts sector, beating Li Shao-ming by 1,370 votes to 327.

In her election platform, she pledged to promote the culture of the moving image, one of the areas that will be covered by West Kowloon's first museum, M+.