Hong Kong News

Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Thursday, Mar 30, 2023

What Hong Kong needs to be a truly world-class cultural hub

What Hong Kong needs to be a truly world-class cultural hub

The city needs a soul, a guiding vision to radically improve cultural education, reorient cultural policymaking and research, and genuinely broaden cultural exchanges.

Much ink has been spilled on Hong Kong’s role as an international cultural hub. Talk of doubling down on more infrastructure, facilities and venues is welcome – after all, there can be no systematic cultural outreach and development without the hardware.

Yet as we see it, Hong Kong has a long way to go to become a truly world-class cultural hub. What is missing is “soul”, a vision to steer and support the cultivation of Hong Kong’s software and human capital for international exchange. Culture and the arts are no exception in the global war for talent.

We propose three solutions: a paradigm shift in cultural education, a reorientation of strategy in cultural policymaking and research, and a genuine effort to broaden cultural exchanges.

First, our education system needs a radical upgrade. Few are born ardent or apathetic towards the arts; interest is cultivated.

Offering a wider range of subjects, such as theatre studies, fashion design and cultural studies, may not always be feasible given the lack of qualified teachers. But the Education Bureau and non-affiliated schools can still imbue elements of cultural studies and artistic analysis in the curriculum, whether by exploring Chinese history and literature through kunqu, or ethics and religious studies via drama and acting.

For teachers of fine arts, there seems to be a lack of clear on-the-job training and inclusion in decision-making over time allocation and curriculum design; the bureau must tackle this.

Universities should work more closely with local performance groups and veterans to use drama and expressive arts as teaching tools, as has been done in the Hong Kong School of Creativity, which Danny co-founded.

To achieve genuine mainstreaming of artistic thinking, we need a more critical, dialectical and questioning-driven style of education, one that does not fixate on taboos and red lines. The question should not be just, “How much can I earn after I graduate?” It should also be: “Can I truly enjoy and find meaning in what I learn?”

Second, we need to see through a cultural blueprint – this requires us to develop and verify through practice some guiding principles. Ideally, Hong Kong should leverage its role as the most international and progressive Chinese city.

This is easier said than done. There are clear constraints – some political, others rooted in more mundane, risk-averse bureaucratism – that render artistic experimentation in the city somewhat precarious. It is thus difficult, albeit necessary, for those seeking to advance international exchange to steer clear of boundaries in contentious domains, while breaking new ground in less contested and politicised areas.

Importantly, Hong Kong can ill afford to be isolationist and inward-looking with its cultural policy. We should take a leaf from established institutions such as the Asia Society, Japan Foundation and Goethe-Institut, which have long served as crucial bridges across cultures and peoples – at times amid great geopolitical tensions. The research units within such multinational institutions are not preoccupied with questions of funding, resources and sales of artworks, but with broader, strategic questions of how artistic and cultural dissemination and preservation can be achieved.


German conductor Hans Rottmann led the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra in a performance at the Iraqi National Theater in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 8, as part of an event supported by the Iraq Ministry of Culture and the German Goethe-Institut. Hong Kong should learn from established institutions such as the Goethe-Institut on shaping a cultural policy that builds bridges across cultures and peoples.

An area where applied strategic research could play an instrumental role, is in the deepening of Hong Kong’s ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations via cultural exchanges and artistic conversations. As a city with deep connections to the Chinese diaspora in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, Hong Kong should invest more resources into investigating how synergy within the region over the arts can be accomplished. Pouring money into cultural creation may be necessary, but insufficient.

A think tank dedicated to cultural diplomacy is a vital first step. Here, the research into the arts would be driven by dual considerations. Firstly, the need to restore and enrich the city’s soft power. Secondly, the lived experiences and needs of independent and grass-roots artists who have borne the brunt of the city’s harsh Covid-19 measures.

This brings us to the final point. No cultural hub can flourish without international exchange. Exchange is unlikely to be effective if the scope of arts deemed relevant for international exchange is limited to just the highbrow: art that, for example, is valued in high society. True exchange should occur across all levels, all socioeconomic strata, and ideological or political cleavages.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged HK$60 million (US$7.7 million) a year to support the music and arts scene. It would be great if some of it were allocated towards supporting artist-in-residence programmes to enable international artists to share their insights with their counterparts in the city.

Additionally, the preservation of local cultural legacies, ranging from tangible sites of historical interest, to intangible rituals and traditions, must take priority over the coming years, as Hong Kong seeks to navigate fundamental questions over its identity, history and roots. We must leverage the insights of experts from mainland China and overseas alike, and learn from the successes and failures of others.

A truly culturally vibrant cosmopolis is one that embraces pluralism and an ethos of experimentation, eschews bureaucratism, and where we can live with those with whom we disagree. That’s the Hong Kong we love.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Hong Kong News
Close
0:00
0:00
China and Brazil have signed a new deal that will allow them to trade in their own currencies, bypassing the US dollar as an intermediary
Elon Musk and Others Call for Pause on A.I., Citing ‘Profound Risks to Society’
“We've had evidence prior to the pandemic that masks were largely ineffective at preventing community transmission of influenza “
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz:
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz rejects being labeled a "billionaire"
Jamie Dimon is being deposed over JPMorgan Chase role in Epstein lawsuits
Brand new security footage has just been released to the public showing the Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale drove to Covenant Church School in her Honda Fit this morning, parked, and shot her way into the building
Social Media censoring users for saying the true
Smart Iranian fashion designer teaching dummy TV anchors lesson about reality
AMERICA, 2023
U.S. charges FTX's Bankman-Fried with paying $40 million bribe
Fallen 'Crypto King' Who Owes Millions to Investors Was Kidnapped and Tortured
Regulators blame social media for SVB's rapid collapse: 'Complete game changer'
AOC explains why she opposes banning TikTok
Singapore’s Prime Minister says China and US need to stabilize relations because world can't afford a confict between the two superpowers
In a dramatic U-turn against His Government: Judicial Reform Legislation Must Be Halted, Says Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel Corporation, died at 94
Powell: Silicon Valley Bank was an 'outlier'
Bordeaux town hall set on fire in France pro democracy protest
Police violence in Paris
Paris: Some of the police are stepping down and showing solidarity with the protesters.
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Goldman Sachs cuts outlook for European bank debt over Credit Suisse crisis
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
The US government has charged Chinese businessman Guo Wengui with leading a $1 billion fraud scheme that cheated thousands of followers out of their money.
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
The BBC problem about China
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
"Will Fly Wherever International Law Allows": US Warns Russia After Drone Incident
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Announcing GPT-4
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
China is calling out the US, UK, and Australia on their submarine pact, claiming they are going further down a dangerous road
A brief banking situation report
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
'No relation to the American SVB': India's SVC Bank acts to calm depositors amid brand name confusion.
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
In a potential last-ditch effort, HSBC is considering a rescue deal to save Silicon Valley Bank UK from insolvency
Saudi Arabia has announced a major breakthrough in diplomacy with Iran after two years of intense talks
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
City officials in Berlin announced on Thursday that all swimmers at public pools will soon be allowed to swim topless
Fitness scam
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
A primitive judge in Australia sparked outrage when he told a breastfeeding woman to leave his courtroom for being “a distraction"
×