Explore the city’s diverse art happenings in Hong Kong Arts Month

HONGKONG, CHINA - MediaOutReach- 25 February 2019 - March is a perfect time to explore Hong Kong'scultural life, particularly the art scene. For the entire March, those visitingthe city are more than welcome to participate in the plethora of arts andcultural events around town, including the internationally renowned Art BaselHong Kong and Art Central, which provide rare occasions for enjoying famous artpieces and rubbing shoulders with the glitterati at the same time. And with thelatest cultural venues and street artworks that have emerged in recent months,art and culture enthusiasts will surely find Hong Kong the perfect subjectmatter to immerse in artsy ambience.

Muse about international art at Art Basel HongKong and Art Central

Beprepared for a lavish visual feast at Art Basel Hong Kong (29-31 March 2019) andArt Central (27-31 March 2019), the mainstay of Hong Kong Arts Month. Now inits seventh year, Art Basel Hong Kong will return to the Hong Kong Conventionand Exhibition Centre with 242 galleries from 36 countries. Also boasting a strongline-up is Art Central, where over 100 galleries will showcase art from aroundthe globe. The fifth edition will also feature carefully curated performances, large-scaleinstallations, new media art and talks. Appreciating art aside, patrons will beserved a riveting view of Victoria Harbour and the city's signature skyline atthe Central Harbourfront venue.

Check in at new cultural hotspots to capture aslice of history

Variousimportant cultural venues have sprung up in the city over the past 10 months. Oneof them is Xiqu Centre, which openedin January this year. Dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Cantonese opera,the Xiqu Centre is noteworthy not simply for being the first venue in the much-anticipatedWest Kowloon Cultural District to open its doors, but also for its strikingarchitectural design that juxtaposes traditional and modern elements. With afuturistic form and a steel structure, the eight-storey edifice is in fact areinterpretation of the traditional Chinese lantern, whereas its façade isshaped to resemble the parted curtains on a performing stage. Visitorsare encouraged to enjoy an intimate Cantonese opera viewing experience overtraditional tea and dim sum at the Tea House Theatre.

Anotherrecent talk of the town is The Mills,an innovation and cultural hub transformed from a textile factory. Situated in TsuenWan, once an industrial area and now a major residential district, The Millscelebrates the golden days of Hong Kong's textile industry and carries on thelegacy by nurturing the city's creative talents. Inside the Centre forHeritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) that is set to open in March, visitors canlearn about the history of Hong Kong's textile industry andthe current local and global textile arts landscape. Visitors are invited to experiencethe manual cotton-spinning process using traditional spinning instruments at CHAT'sWelcome to the Spinning Factory! Exhibition.Startingfrom 16 March 2019, visitors can appreciate thearray of contemporary textile arts displayed at the Unfolding: Fabric of OurLife Exhibition.

Anotherkey heritage site worth visiting is TaiKwun, one of the city's largest heritage revitalisation project which tooka decade and HK$3.8 billion to complete. Three iconic declared monuments arenow part of this cultural destination that houses a world-standard contemporaryart museum, some of the city's chicest restaurants and boutiques. Apart fromsnapping and admiring the beauty of the complex, visitors coming during HongKong Arts Month can enjoy free site-specific performances, urban dance battlesand screenings in the HKArtsFestival@TaiKwun programme over two weekends (2-10March 2019).

Snap away in characterful neighbourhoods forlocal street art

Theart experience in Hong Kong is not limited to standalone events and places. Outin the open, art has penetrated the corners of different neighbourhoods. Take astroll at Central, Sheung Wan and the latest "ARTLANE" in the hipster Sai Ying Pun area, where murals by localand overseas artists can be found on walls of old buildings and staircases, youwill be able to shot in front of many instagram-famous street art and make yourfollowers jealous; hunt for shutter art around Hong Kong painted by young localartists under an initiative aptly called "HK Urban Canvas", depicting theunique personalities and stories behind local shops; and keep an eye out forbuzzing street scenes, intriguing contrasts and all the oddities that make HongKong an exciting place.

More than meets the eye (and the lens)

Thosewho seek more sensory stimulation will find a plethora of performing arts events,the most notable of which is the Hong Kong Arts Festival. With a history ofover four decades, the annual bonanza featuring opera, theatre, music, danceand more has been an artery of the city's cultural life. Visitors will have theopportunities to enjoy 166 performances and over 300 exciting array of outreachactivities by over 1,700 artists from around the world during the 31-day-longprogramme this year (21 February - 23 March 2019).

Avisit to Hong Kong in March will leave you with more than just amazingphotographs and feeds, book a trip to Hong Kong now and dive into a sea of artsand cultural treasures!

Formoreinformation:

https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/see-do/events-festivals/highlight-events/hong-kong-arts-month.jsp

Highlight Video

Photos & video:

https://hktb.filecamp.com/public/files/2ktk-3t1f34se