Hong Kong is set to unveil its inaugural performing arts exhibition, aimed at propelling Chinese artists onto the international stage and sparking dialogues among a global community of over 1,300 performing artists and professionals.
The Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), which will run from Monday through Oct 18, marks the city’s first foray into hosting a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to performing arts — dances, spoken dramas and musicals.
It will also feature a series of exhibitions, talks, workshops, and networking sessions for artists and industry leaders.
Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council — HKPAX’s organizer — shared his enthusiasm during a Tuesday media briefing.
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He highlighted the warm responses from art circles, with over 1,300 artistic professionals hailing from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and overseas.
Fok said he envisioned the HKPAX as a cultural feast open to both industry insiders and the general public.
With venues spread across the city — from the West Kowloon Cultural District to Tai Kwun, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong Arts Centre, and even spilling into the streets — the expo promises to be an event of substantial influence in Hong Kong, Fok said.
He underscored Hong Kong’s ambition to establish itself as a burgeoning cultural metropolis on the international stage. During the process, HKPAX can serve as a flagship event, fostering exchanges between local and mainland artists and their international counterparts, and opening doors to new business opportunities.
“We hope to build Hong Kong into a place where artistic ideas collude,” Fok said.
Beyond the packed five-day timetable, the expo offers attendees an optional two-day excursion to Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong province. The side trip is designed to facilitate interactions with performing arts communities in Chinese mainland metropolises, and enhance the global presence of Cantonese arts.
“We want participants to see the burgeoning art market in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as the region’s robust infrastructure for performances,” Fok said.
The expo features a selection of 15 international acts by artistic groups from the mainland, Hong Kong, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Mexico, the Czech Republic and the United States.
Curated by esteemed heavyweights in the arts industry chosen from a pool of over 300 candidates, these performances aim to celebrate cultural diversity and raise awareness of both the city and HKPAX, Fok added.
The festival is set to open with a unique scent-infused musical, Time in a Bottle, with local composer Leon Ko presenting his personal collection of antique perfume and cologne bottles, each paired with his own musical compositions.
Come Monday, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will take the stage with Wheel of Time — Woe of the Seasons, which interprets the ancient Chinese 24 Solar Terms through compositions. Under the baton of director Yan Huichang, this presentation will blend traditional Chinese orchestral music with advanced arts technology.
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On Oct 17, the Hong Kong Ballet and Macao Orchestra will present the world premiere of The Butterfly Lovers, a new adaptation of the renowned Chinese tale recounting the tragic love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai.
Two walking tours from Oct 15-17 will lead participants to explore Hong Kong’s oldest street-scenes of Sham Shui Po in Kowloon, and Central and Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island.
Drawing inspiration from major international performing arts events such as CINARS in Canada and the Performing Arts Market in Seoul, South Korea, the HKPAX also embodies unique Hong Kong characteristics, Fok said, adding that he is confident that the program will deliver outstanding experiences to participants.
As a Legislative Council member representing the city’s cultural and tourism sectors, Fok said he also believes that HKPAX will significantly boost Hong Kong’s mega-event economy, attracting a larger influx of visitors and reinforcing the city’s status as a cultural hotspot.
