Hong Kong art foundation helps poor kids discover themselves with creativity
Art foundation to use part of proceeds from gala dinner on a creative scheme for poor children
The cream of the art world may be gathered in Italy for the opening of the Venice Biennale, but some artists are staying in Hong Kong for a good cause.
The Sovereign Art Foundation's gala dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel tonight will not only see the presentation of the annual Sovereign Asian Art Prize to Cambodian artist Anida Yoeu Ali. It will also raise funds for a new initiative run by the foundation.
Foundation chairman and founder Howard Bilton said the Make It Better programme was giving underprivileged children in Hong Kong the benefit of the therapeutic nature of art.
The foundation, a charity registered in Hong Kong and Britain, is working with the University of Hong Kong to run weekend workshops for children aged between eight and 12. Participating children create artworks like self-portraits in order to raise their self-awareness. Three workshops have been organised in Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City.
A full-time art therapist was hired to run the programme, Bilton said. The first 10-week module has already started, and the foundation plans to launch a second one in September and to eventually run eight, allowing 120 children to participate. HKU handles the documentation and research.
The foundation regularly supports programmes like the Asian Cultural Council, Asia Art Archive, Para Site and Peace Art Project Cambodia through its annual fundraising dinner. But raising money to support a programme operated by the foundation was a first, Bilton said.