Hong Kong makes case as global performing arts hub at twin events
Hong Kong hosted two major performing arts gatherings this month, drawing hundreds of leaders and thousands of participants. Officials say the events strengthened the city's bid to become an international cultural centre, with new infrastructure set to open by 2027.
Hong Kong's ambition to become a leading international centre for the performing arts came into sharper focus this month, as the city hosted two major cultural gatherings that drew thousands of industry professionals from around the world.
The West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) hosted the 30th-anniversary conference of the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC), attracting more than 350 performing-arts leaders, artists and cultural professionals from nearly 70 cities. The conference theme, "The Next Act: Shaping the Future," focused on how cultural centres can respond to changing audiences, technology, economics and the need for deeper international exchange, as well as the civic value of arts in bringing communities together.
Following AAPPAC, the second Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), organised by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, drew more than 2,000 arts leaders and professionals from 60 countries and regions, along with more than 39,000 audience members and participants over five days. The expo served as a working marketplace where presenters could discover new productions, artists could pitch work to international partners, and conversations could turn into tours, commissions and co-productions.
For local independent artists and small companies, the events offered direct exposure to international industry figures and opened doors to new partnerships and opportunities, according to Bernard Charnwut Chan, chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.
Together, AAPPAC and HKPAX made a persuasive case for Hong Kong as a leading cultural hub, Chan wrote in a commentary. He said the city is internationally connected, rooted in Chinese culture and able to convene talent from the Chinese mainland, Asia and beyond. Cultural exchange at this level can create work, attract visitors, encourage investment in creative skills and give local artists routes to new audiences, he added.
Chan noted the timing is favourable for WestK, which already brings together the Hong Kong Palace Museum, M+, the Xiqu Centre, Freespace and the Art Park in one harbourfront setting. Its Performing Arts Centre, due to open in 2027, will significantly strengthen the city's ability to develop and present work at every scale.
"AAPPAC and HKPAX demonstrated Hong Kong's ambition and capacity to consolidate its position as an international centre for the performing arts," Chan wrote. "With the infrastructure, talent and ambition now in place, the city has the opportunity to turn this momentum into sustained cultural exchange and public value."