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Opinion | To be a truly world-class cultural hub, Hong Kong needs much more than just hardware
- The city needs a soul; a guiding vision to radically improve cultural education, reorient cultural policymaking and research, and genuinely broaden cultural exchanges
- A truly culturally vibrant cosmopolis would embrace pluralism and experimentation – and live with disagreement
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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.
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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.
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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.
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