Letters | Give Hong Kong’s arts hub the flexibility it needs to thrive

Readers discuss the approach the government should take to the West Kowloon Cultural District, and the experience of visiting an exhibition at Tai Kwun

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The M+ museum is seen from above in the West Kowloon Cultural District on October 21, 2021. Photo: Martin Chan

Published: 11:30am, 15 Jul 2024

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Last week, the first full-scale retrospective of Chinese American architect Ieoh Ming Pei opened at M+ in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD). The 400 exhibits showcasing seven decades of work that comprise the exhibition will attract architecture lovers, lay people and tourists from around the world.

Three days before the I.M. Pei retrospective began, “The Adorned Body: French Fashion and Jewellery 1770–1910 from the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris” opened at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. This exhibition, one of four launched to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France this year, is the first large-scale showcase in Asia of the French museum’s historical fashion collection.

Such events promote international exchange, consolidating Hong Kong’s status as a global arts and cultural hub. Due to limited space, our city previously lacked the capacity to host prominent shows and big productions. Only now that we have the well-equipped and versatile WKCD can we do so.

We need a fair assessment of the enormous potential of the district against its financial woes. Institutions like the Tate Gallery and Centre Pompidou also struggle to cover their operation and maintenance costs, despite a large number of visitors.

Many world-renowned museums are government-funded, supplemented by donations, visitor fees and investments. Public funding reflects a government’s commitment to the arts and cultural development. With the Hong Kong government’s upfront endowment and the Enhanced Financial Arrangement, WKCD has received tremendous support from the government.