When I arrived in Hong Kong 10 years ago, international galleries were just setting up; there were no global art fairs such as Art Basel, no PMQ nor Tai Kwun. The West Kowloon Cultural District was not off the ground; the Asia World City was known to all as a cultural desert that the tourists were visiting for shopping and dining, and the locals on weekend getaways. Yet, in that short period of time, things went from zero to 100, with the development of a larger cultural offering: Art Basel Hong Kong became one of the most successful fairs in the world, attracting international artists, galleries and collectors; the auctions are breaking records; two heritage sites have been revived; and the M+ Museum is set to open at the end of the year in a brand-new district, housing already two performing arts venues; and, soon the Palace Museum.
If the situation is far better than 10 years ago, it does not mean it is good and the entire model needs rethinking and further developments. Hong Kong has indeed reached a turning point, with a larger cultural offering, but building hardware is far from sufficient. Focusing almost entirely on the art market through commercial galleries, art fairs and auction houses is precarious and does not build culture in the long run. Capitalizing on tourism has also proved to be risky.
We need to expand our vision of culture as an asset to both the city and its inhabitants. We need to transition from the pure immediate profit-making vision to a long-term investment with dedicated programs and subsidies involving the private sector, in the same way we invest in companies or other business sectors, with constant nurturing and regular updating
One of the main reasons seems to be that art, culture and creativity are not valued collectively by Hong Kong society. It starts obviously at school where art and creativity are not an important part of the curriculum and are not encouraged, compared to the “useful” subjects. It continues in family, where kids are enrolled to learn the piano or ballet as a “skill” to add to their CVs and pushed to practice to a point where they associate art with obligation, investment or hard work but not with pleasure. This idea goes all the way to the corporate world, where creativity and art are not considered “serious” matters that contribute to the economy and productivity.
This vision is definitively ignoring the impact of culture on tourism and the economic attractiveness of a city. We can just look at New York, London, or Paris where people come to visit and live widely because of the exhibitions, musicals, historical monuments and other museums and galleries. The cultural visitors are spending in hotels, restaurants and shopping that are a big part of the cities’ economy.
It is also definitely ignoring the benefits for the local population: Seeing art daily, listening to music or enjoying theater is not just helping to relax from stress; it also inspires, stimulates the brain, and broadens the horizons. It nurtures innovation, creativity and competitiveness in the working environment. Art, design, architecture — beauty, to put it simply — are rarely around us in Hong Kong except as advertisement and packaging, perhaps, whether in private or public spaces. It is our collective responsibility as cultural players and the authorities to change that. There could be some quick and some more lengthy possible things to implement in order to achieve that change.
First, it is necessary to develop and strengthen the “cultural fabric”. It would start by promoting and developing creativity and art programs at school to encourage “self-development” for our young generations. Then it would need more cohesion and synergies. The different arts and culture initiatives are scattered, therefore not visible, and barely impactful. We need more forums, symposiums, associations, more joint communication, more lobbying to ensure culture is visible, meaningful and represented! Collectively it would help us to promote arts and the creative industries as a promising and moneymaking career path and not a side hobby. This way, we could train local talent, offer them opportunities, and attract more international teachers, schools and programs collaborations, including from the Chinese mainland.
Secondly, we need more public support. Much like in most international cities, the government must offer more incentives to the arts scene and the creative industries: subsidies, artists training and touring, promotion of Hong Kong culture in the region and worldwide, you name it. We need more commissioned art: Operas, music, and dance performances need to be commissioned to stimulate the artistic scene and offer new works to the audience. But this is almost even more crucial in sculpture, painting, architecture, and design. Hong Kong is one of the only international cities that is lacking art in parks, in the public space, in major infrastructure like the MTR, the airport, etc. Public art is crucial to enhance the city, nurture the people living in it, but also to attract visitors. Call it the human experience if you will. Why not implement a system like the one in France, where 1 percent of the cost of construction for public projects must be devoted to art (mural, sculptures, design, etc.), and extend it to the large property developments, so it does not all fall onto the taxpayers?
Lastly, we need to continue to protect and revitalize our heritage, and to open more facilities. Again, it does not have to be all the responsibility of the authorities, and more public initiatives should be supported and funded. In many cities, most of the theaters are privately run: Why not in Hong Kong? We need more projects like the State Theatre!
Overall, we have to break from just the “market” system. We need to expand our vision of culture as an asset to both the city and its inhabitants. We need to transition from the pure immediate profit-making vision to a long-term investment with dedicated programs and subsidies involving the private sector, in the same way we invest in companies or other business sectors, with constant nurturing and regular updating. This way only will we develop our attractiveness beyond shopping and dining, diversifying our resources and serving our local market at the same time. This way only, we will remain competitive, attract talents and capital, and position Hong Kong as a regional capital and an international city. With its connection with the mainland and the huge market of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with a rich Chinese culture and history along with access and exposure to all talents and examples of the West, Hong Kong has all the advantages to create an unprecedented offering, appealing to all parts of the world. By changing our collective mindset in appreciating and developing our cultural assets, it would most certainly restore a sense of pride and belonging necessary in the current time while strengthening our image on the global scene. This way, we will thrive and even enjoy an improved lifestyle along the way.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.