‘It’s so magical’: how Standard Chartered Arts in the Park in Hong Kong births stars
First, it’s Standard Chartered Arts in the Park. Then, maybe Bridgerton. The youth arts festival has a long history of creating stars
Standard Chartered Arts in the Park, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this month, is not just Hong Kong’s largest outdoor youth arts festival; it can be a launch pad for successful international careers.
The HKYAF flagship stage shows cannot accommodate every aspiring star in the city, so Arts in the Park is a way to give talented youths a platform, inspiring confidence in them and helping them develop their creativity and teamwork skills.
“So many times, young people would come along to an audition, and maybe they’re not quite ready yet for the big show or a big project. Rather than being very Simon Cowell about it and saying, ‘You’re not good enough,’ what we’ll do is try and offer them opportunities in different projects [like Arts in the Park],” McAlister says.
Some youngsters turn out to be X Factor-worthy. Natalie Hsu, the daughter of former film star Ann Bridgewater, had her start in Arts in the Park when she was a teenager in Hong Kong. Today, she is an award-winning actress and has worked with the French fashion label Chanel.