The Guests of Honour of the inaugural HKPAX’s opening ceremony (from left to right) : Dr. Frankie Yeung, Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Council; Mr. Li Yongsheng, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the HKSAR; Mr. Kenneth Fok, Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Council; Mr. Chan Kwok-ki, Eric, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government; Mr. Wang Songmiao, Secretary General of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in HKSAR; Mr. Yeung Yun-hung, Kevin, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; and Dr. Wilfred Wong, Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Fund Advisory Committee.

(Hong Kong, 14 October 2024) The inaugural Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), organised by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and sponsored by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, was successfully launched today at West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD). Running from today until 18 October, this five-day mega-event has welcomed over 1,400 art practitioners from more than 60 regions, and will host more than 100 performances, leadership talks and events. HKPAX aims to facilitate arts and cultural exchanges among Hong Kong, Mainland China and the rest of the world, whilst also expanding the trading market for performing arts, sparking new opportunities for arts institutions and practitioners from all around the world.

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Guests of Honour Mr. Chan Kwok-ki, Eric, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, Mr. Wang Songmiao, Secretary General of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in HKSAR, Mr. Li Yongsheng, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the HKSAR, Mr. Yeung Yun-hung, Kevin, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Kenneth Fok, Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC), Dr. Wilfred Wong, Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Fund Advisory Committee (ADFAC) and Dr. Frankie Yeung, Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Council. The event was attended by over 500 distinguished local and international guests.

Mr. Chan Kwok-ki, Eric, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, said, “Hong Kong is a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures. We enjoy the distinct advantage of having strong support from our Motherland and being closely connected to the world. These, together with our world-class arts and culture facilities and pluralistic arts environment, pave the way for us to further develop the city’s role as a cultural hub for the region and the world. HKPAX is much more than a market. It is a platform for making connections, exchanging ideas and fostering collaborations.”

Mr. Kenneth Fok, Chairman of HKADC, articulating his vision and expectation for HKPAX, said, “HKPAX is not just a mega event; it is a flagship platform for arts leaders, practitioners and enthusiasts from all over the world to explore, experience and exchange edge-cutting ideas and productions. I am confident that HKPAX will not only showcase Hong Kong's position as a cultural hub but also pave the way for future collaborations and engagements with the global performing arts sector, consolidating Hong Kong's role in the global arts community.”

Dr. Wilfred Wong, Chairman of ADFAC, affirming the regional significance of HKPAX, said, “Hong Kong has long been a centre for cultural exchange, a place where diverse artistic traditions converge and intertwine. By leveraging upon its rich cultural heritage, proximity to the emerging cities in the Greater Bay Area and strong partnerships with various arts organisations around the world, I believe the inaugural HKPAX has confidently positioned itself among the esteemed global performing arts events.”

HKPAX Highlights

Showcasing a myriad of thoughtfully curated activities, HKPAX will present a wide range of cultural experiences for both arts enthusiasts and professionals. It will feature over 60 performances, encompassing 16 Expo Programmes, 15 International Showcases, the Pitch Session programmes participated by 12 arts groups, as well as the Ground Search programmes participated by 21 small and medium-sized local performing arts groups and individual artists. Highlights include:

Expo Programmes
HKPAX has collaborated with international arts organisations to jointly present three exciting programmes highlighting local and international talent. 1014 – Nanyin x Jazz, created in collaboration with China Performing Arts Agency, fuses jazz with Nanyin, a classical style of narrative Chinese singing, to explore humanity’s hopes and uncertainties about the future. Time in a Bottle, curated, written and composed by Hong Kong composer Leon Ko, in collaboration with Japanese set designer Ishikawa Ongakudo, integrates musical performances with scent and perfume bottles to craft an evocative visual journey. Journey of Discovery, crafted together with the National Arts Council of South Africa, forges new musical horizons by blending contrasting cultural backgrounds.

HKPAX’s Expo Programme “Time in a Bottle”.

In addition, many local performing arts groups and organisations, including Chung Ying Theatre Company, City Contemporary Dance Company, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong Ballet, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Dance Company, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and Xiqu Centre of WKCD, will stage signature productions at various theatres throughout the city.

International Showcases
15 International Showcases, selected from 305 global submissions, have been curated to provide a taste of the wide variety of performing arts. Featuring five shows from Hong Kong and Mainland China, and ten international productions, the International Showcases span drama, dance, musical theatre, Chinese opera (xiqu) and diverse multidisciplinary arts—ranging from large-scale productions to intimate solo performances. Offerings include A Flexitarian by The Three Bowls Co-op from Mainland China, a monologue theatre piece with its performance centred on a large onstage terrarium, delving into a woman's post-divorce dilemmas and broader themes of female autonomy; Echoes of the City by Run-around Ensemble from Hong Kong, a musical exploration of sounds mingling with personal sentiments, blending a diverse array of ethnic instruments such as the Chinese pipa and the Japanese shakuhachi; and The Island! By Burkicom from the Czech Republic, a captivating dance performance that transports viewers into the unspoiled nature, offering a multimedia depiction of the habitat of an unnamed island.

Pitch Sessions
Selected from 133 global submissions, the Pitch Sessions highlights 12 stunning performances. An opportunity for original creative projects to source funding, or groundbreaking experiments to find a venue or presenter, exciting new ideas are sure to emerge in these sessions. Connecting practitioners to a whole world of business opportunities and potential partners, these short, consolidated performances will mark the beginning of many incredible artistic journeys.

Ground Search
To highlight Hong Kong’s diverse culture formed by the fusion of Chinese heritage and Western culture, HKPAX has dedicated a stage for 21 local solo, small, and medium-sized performing artists and arts groups . The Ground Search programme, spanning three days, will empower performing arts groups and artists to showcase segments of their works and engage with the audience, thereby fostering connections with the HKPAX’s international participants and promoting artistic exchanges and collaborations. The public is welcome to attend the Ground Search programme for free with prior registration.

Interested citizens are invited to immerse themselves in a diverse array of musical theatre, dance, comedy, and more at certain performances of the HKPAX Expo Programmes and International Showcases which are open to the public, with tickets available for purchase at URBTIX.

For more information of the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo, please visit the official HKPAX website at hkpax.org.hk. The schedule of the HKPAX events can also be found on the official HKPAX website at hkpax.org.hk/en/page/schedule.

Please click here to download high-resolution images of the Opening Ceremony.