West Kowloon Cultural District is a deserving home for the arts in Hong Kong
Ken Chu says Hong Kong people should support the early completion of the arts hub, which not only benefits the city’s development in many ways, but also signals a deserved recognition of the work of its artists and cultural workers
Nearly a decade ago, New York City, London and Hong Kong were jointly dubbed “Nylonkong” for being the world’s leading financial centres. But while all three were arguably on a par in terms of financial prowess, Hong Kong trailed both New York and London in the vibrancy and diversity of its arts and cultural scene, and still does.
Both New York and London have a wealth of promising and celebrated artists, musicians, performers and writers, not to mention many learned enthusiasts, philanthropists and organisations who act as audience and patrons. Both cities have many renowned galleries, museums and theatres that draw visitors from around the world.
One reason Hong Kong is lagging behind is the lack of venues for our artists to create, experiment and showcase their work, and for the public to learn to appreciate and engage with art.
Hong Kong does have a fair number of privately owned art galleries, in addition to three art clusters for young artists and underfunded art groups in PMQ in Sheung Wan, the Oil Street art space in North Point, and the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre in Shek Kip Mei. However, they are scattered in different districts and are relatively small, unsuitable for large-scale art exhibitions for an extended period. There are, of course, public museums and community halls operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, where exhibitions and cultural activities are held, but they are not exclusively used by the arts community.
Hong Kong is not just short of facilities; it also lacks a landmark venue that’s comparable to, say, New York’s Museum of Modern Art or London’s Tate Modern.