Hong Kong arts and culture need public support and private funding to succeed

Museums and cultural groups remain heavily dependent on government funding due to a lack of public appreciation
Education can change this, and wealth owners can also do more to support emerging artists and the sector’s development

Dorothy Chan

Published: 3:30pm, 12 Feb 2023

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Hong Kong’s bustling arts scene is far from a recent phenomenon. Over past decades, it has reached a new level of sophistication. The opening of two world-class museums are prime examples, along with international art fairs and trade events, attracting enthusiasts and collectors from around the globe.

With this flourishing sector, we have a unique opportunity to fund and grow public, private and philanthropic capital to accelerate the development of a sustainable and vibrant ecosystem to realise the city’s cultural hub ambition.

There is a general misconception that museums and other cultural groups are well-funded. According to industry stakeholders, however, museums and performance and other cultural groups are heavily dependent on public funds due to a lack of public appreciation for art and culture.

This perception was reflected in the public reaction when the M+ museum of visual culture started charging visitors after 12 months of free entry. While most were still keen to visit, many did not wish to pay the full ticket price for world-class exhibitions in Hong Kong. And yet they tended not to have such hesitations when travelling overseas.

While there is much coverage about the billions invested or donated to construct the physical infrastructure, not much attention is given to the operating cost required for museums and performance groups to stage new exhibitions and performances regularly.

For instance, managing collections – which includes leasing, insurance, and display and storage of the works – easily cost a museum HK$100 million (US$12.7 million) annually. This is on top of the running costs of wages, building repairs, curatorial duties, conservation and research, just to name a few.

Refreshing exhibitions and performances regularly attracts patronage and cultivates appreciation. But that is not the only reason to invest in art and culture.

Art and culture benefit the broader society. From learning and understanding history to supporting mental well-being and personal growth, the arts can inspire people in ways many other industries cannot. The sector is important in bringing people together, shaping new perspectives and solving societal challenges in creative ways.

The arts not only nurtures talented individuals, but also enables participants to strengthen their self-esteem and build vital soft skills.

The Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, for instance, has been creating opportunities for disadvantaged and underprivileged young people in the city. One example shows how.

During preparations for a concert, the foundation’s teachers noticed that one of the students, a self-taught beatboxer, was always late for rehearsal. It turned out it was because he was sneaking out against his parent’s wishes, as they saw no value in his pursuit of a creative passion. But after some persuasion, his parents eventually permitted him to join the concert and even attended it.

Having someone stand up for him gave the student a sense of belonging and confidence. This shows how the arts can have a positive impact on the confidence and emotional development of young people.

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Investing in quality arts education experiences is integral to enhance appreciation, cultivate creative thinking and generate a higher rate of return for public, private and philanthropic investment in the sector.

Another arts charity, the Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection, has developed an arts-based, multidisciplinary creative learning project for 10 primary schools and a scheme that uses play scripts as a framework for discussion and critical thinking among secondary students.

For instance, in working with a Tin Shui Wai primary school, children were inspired by Along the River During the Ching Ming Festival Festival, a historic handscroll painting, as part of a project to encourage creative thinking and extend Chinese-language learning via costume-making.

Visitors take a virtual boat ride in an interactive digital display of the scroll painting, Along the River During the Ching Ming Festival, by 12th century painter Zhang Zeduan at the Palace Museum in Beijing on July 5, 2018. The painting gives a panoramic portrayal of flourishing urban life in Bianliang (today’s Kaifeng, Henan province), the capital during the Northern Song period (960-1127). Photo: Simon Song

More initiatives like these, which focus on making arts education experiential and exploratory, encourage young people to stay inquisitive. These are needed if public perception of the arts is to change.

While education is the overarching framework for a sustainable arts ecosystem, it is also important to support our local artists and galleries.

One way is for those profiting in the sector to reinvest in local talent to help emerging artists build their profiles. Examples include providing gallery space for aspiring artists, mentoring talent and creating opportunities for the next generation of artists to collaborate creatively.

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Wealth owners can also explore blended finance options to accelerate the sector’s development. For instance, through the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, they could finance the development of large-scale cultural institutions, leverage their experiences in marketing and audience development to attract patrons, and transfer their operations back to the government once they become more commercially viable.

Hong Kong has become a unique meeting place for the arts and a crossroads for the international community to converge and collaborate. Many curators and collectors are eager to return to Hong Kong to connect with local and regional artists. This sentiment is why Hong Kong is an arts hub, and why more needs to be done to preserve our reputation.

On the one hand, private capital is needed for education, to change mindsets about the arts. On the other, cultural institutions require financing to support their operations, reach out to the public effectively, and create programming that reflects this city’s potential for cultural exchange.

With its unique heritage and strategic location, Hong Kong has an incredible opportunity as a hub for arts and culture between China and the rest of the world. The possibilities are endless and the time to support the sector’s sustainable growth is now.

Dorothy Chan is head of philanthropy services and advisory, Asia Pacific, at HSBC Global Private Banking

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