Alice Wu

Opinion | Hong Kong arts education must do more than strengthen national identity

In seeking to boost children’s understanding of Chinese culture, we must not lose sight of why arts education is important in the first place

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Children portrayed in a painting with Chinese President Xi Jinping stand next to the painting during the opening of the “HK Tugs at My Heartstrings” exhibition to mark 40 years of China’s reform and opening up policy on December 19, 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE

Alice Wu

Published: 9:30am, 19 Aug 2024Updated: 12:00pm, 19 Aug 2024

Much has been said about turning Hong Kong into an international arts centre and a hub for cultural exchange. The city has been ambitious while also playing a tough game of catch-up.

The West Kowloon Cultural District was essentially the city’s response to a 1996 Hong Kong Tourism Board survey which found that tourists were very interested in art and cultural attractions. The government recently threw the arts hub a lifeline by approving plans for it to raise funds through residential land sales before it runs out of cash.

The cultural district’s history mirrors the city’s struggles to turn aspiration into reality. The arts hub has had to overcome disruptions ranging from management reshuffles to delays in the opening of facilities and financial woes.

In the past, friends who visited Hong Kong would tell me, “Hong Kong museums are great if you want to beat the crowds. There is hardly any one there.” For the most part, they didn’t mean to be demeaning. Most enjoyed their museum trips but wondered why so few people visited. It’s that sort of intangible environment – one in which arts and culture permeates the air – that we lacked.

Years of work have been put into growing the city’s art scene, and the results are encouraging. The world’s top auction houses have set up base here, and three have recently expanded their floor space despite the economic downturn, clearly seeing a future in the city. Being the regional hub for art collectors and investors has helped turn more Hongkongers’ attention to the arts.

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A cultural desert no more, Hong Kong still has much work to do. Another piece of the puzzle must come in the form of education and increasing arts and culture exposure in our school curriculum.