Friends who visited Hong Kong used to tell me, “Hong Kong museums are great if you want to avoid the crowds. There’s hardly anyone there.” Most of the time they didn’t mean to be condescending. Most enjoyed their museum visits but wondered why so few people came. It was this kind of intangible environment – one where art and culture permeate the air – that we were missing.
Years of work have been invested in developing the city’s art scene, and the results are encouraging. The world’s best auction houses have set up shop here, and three have recently expanded their retail space despite the economic downturn and clearly see a future in the city. The fact that it is a regional hub for art collectors and investors has helped to attract more Hong Kongers to the arts.
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Art Basel Hong Kong opens in 2024: The city is relying on mega-events to attract visitors
Art Basel Hong Kong opens in 2024: The city is relying on mega-events to attract visitors
Hong Kong is no longer a cultural desert, there is still a lot to be done. Another piece of the puzzle needs to come in the form of education and a greater inclusion of arts and culture in our school curriculum.
Schools in Hong Kong offer some artistic training. Instead of leaving it up to parents to enroll their children in after-school art classes, schools are incorporating more art-related topics and activities into their programs, suggesting that they recognize the benefits of doing so for children’s overall development.
These benefits include better emotional wellbeing and better coping mechanisms when children have access to creative ways to express their feelings and express themselves. Appreciating and engaging with the arts enriches lives. When people of all backgrounds and social classes have the right access, the city will live and breathe arts and culture.
A child looks at an artwork by Nam June Paik at Art Basel Hong Kong on March 22, 2023. Photo: Elson Li
In the field of education, the authorities Subject curricula on visual arts and music, applicable to all primary and secondary schools. The updates include the addition of the aesthetics of Confucian and Taoist culture.
For music, learning experiences in the appreciation and performance of Chinese music, Cantonese OperaChinese folk songs and Chinese art songs are intended to help students “understand the relationship between musical characteristics and their cultural background and meaning, and thus promote correct values and attitudes among students,” says a circular from the Education Bureau.
This circular specifically stated that one of the main principles of the curricula is to strengthen the national identity of the students and to develop their Understanding national security through the appreciation and use of Chinese art and music. A multifaceted understanding and appreciation of Chinese art and culture can undoubtedly strengthen the sense of identity, but the focus should not be on strengthening national identity and the sense of national security.
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Hong Kong’s world-class visual culture museum M+ opens in November
Hong Kong’s world-class visual culture museum M+ opens in November
Incorporating Chinese works into the curriculum would definitely enrich students’ cultural understanding. How else could they appreciate the diversity of art forms? There is no question that children need to be exposed to both Western and Eastern art, and that they need to learn how culture has influenced that art. This is important in expanding their understanding of the world and shaping their perceptions about how they should relate to the country and the world.
However, we must not lose sight of why arts education is important in the first place. It not only increases the well-being of students, but also equips them with the creative thinking skills They need to be prepared for the future. A positive attitude and creative problem-solving skills go hand in hand with a healthy sense of identity and an understanding of their relationship with their country.
Let us not lose our way. We cannot afford that if we truly want to be the centre of arts and cultural exchange while also training our future leaders to be creative thinkers and innovators.
Alice Wu is a policy consultant and former deputy director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA.
