Guests at the Cross-Straits and Hong Kong and Macao Regional Art Forum on Wednesday pose for a group photo as they call for strengthened arts and cultural education and cross-border exchanges. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Leaders from the Chinese arts industry gathered at a forum on Wednesday in Hong Kong, where they stressed the importance of enhancing arts and cultural education for the young generation.
They noted that such an education has a positive impact on young people’s personal growth and development, and deepens their comprehension of the nation’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, thereby fostering a strong sense of national identity.
The high-level art forum, which runs until Thursday, aims to facilitate art exchanges among the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Nearly 90 art educators, professionals, and scholars from the regions have participated in the event, its 14th edition since being launched in 2009. Previously, it has been successfully held in Haikou, Taipei, Macao, Hong Kong and Beijing, among other cities.
During the opening ceremony, Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said that art education can lay a good foundation for cultivating students’ artistic and cultural literacy.
In practice, art education plays a vital role in helping students embrace elements of Chinese culture, promoting the spirit of the Chinese nation, Yeung said.
Yeung told the forum that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has allocated an annual special fund of HK$50 million ($6.39 million) to encourage Hong Kong art groups and artists to showcase their talents through touring shows and exhibitions on the mainland and overseas, strengthening cultural exchanges with local practitioners.
Starting this year, a total of HK$135 million has also been allocated to support Hong Kong performing groups and artists participating in creative activities and performances within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Lawmaker Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, who represents the Sports, Performing Arts, Culture, and Publication Functional Constituency, said that art education can stimulate creativity, positive thinking, and self-confidence in young people, and can have a profound impact on their development.
Eddy Li Sau-hung, executive president of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Members Association, said that this year’s forum has brought national art professionals together in Hong Kong, underscoring the city’s prominent role in promoting Chinese culture.
Li said that Hong Kong, which has always focused on training elites in traditional fields such as law, accounting and finance, is increasingly attaching more importance to shaping the cultural perspectives of the younger generation, helping them understand and appreciate art.
He encouraged more people to broaden their perspectives and values, and become “art enthusiasts, appreciative audiences, and discerning collectors”.
Ma Fung-kwok, lawmaker and president of the same association, stressed the importance of cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong in the realm of cultural and arts education.
He mentioned his recent visit to the Mogao Caves in Gansu province as an example, which had prompted him to reflect on history and enabled him to admire the rich cultural heritage accumulated over thousands of years.
Lam Tian-xing, chairman of the Hong Kong Artists Association, praised Hong Kong as an international city with a vibrant artistic and cultural environment. He said he hopes that local authorities and the community will pay greater attention to art education.
Hao Rong, president of the Central Academy of Drama, the nation’s top drama and performing arts education institution, called for reinstating the pre-pandemic level of collaboration between the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Central Academy of Drama.
