Amidst COVID-19 woes, ART Power HK launches to reinvigorate Hong Kong's art scene

Hong Kong’s event calendar has been utterly shattered over the last few months by protests and the COVID-19 outbreak, including big hits taken by the city’s usually vibrant arts scene. A newly launched non-commercial campaign titled ART Power HK hopes to undo some of that damage by breathing some life back into Hong Kong’s arts community.

ART Power HK is an online platform meant to spotlight local arts activity. The campaign is hoped to unite and celebrate the arts by drawing focus to exhibitions, events, and other activities being hosted by its partners.

As many of its activations scheduled for March are not able to go ahead as planned due to coronavirus safety measures, ART Power HK is taking them online. The campaign will be utilising tech innovations to provide pre-recorded and livestreamed gallery tours, artist interviews, studio visits, and collector engagements. Another major feature will be its Online Talks Programme featuring local and international talent, where talks will be livestreamed from the ART Power HK Platform every Thursday. The campaign seeks to build momentum through activations towards May when physical events are likely to be held again.

Alexandra Seno, head of development at Asia Art Archive said, “Art happens 365 days of the year in Hong Kong. It happens through collecting, patronage, research, making, looking and so many other expressions. This initiative is a platform to showcase that and is another example of why art thrives here—it is a community that takes initiative and shows up for each other. I believe there has never been a more necessary moment for contemporary art in Asia.”

The campaign has already garnered wide-ranging support, with a huge list of confirmed partners from across Hong Kong’s art ecosystem, including galleries, museums, auction houses, not-for-profit organisations, educational institutions, corporate sponsors of the arts and cultural media outlets. Its hosting partner for the campaign is the Asia Society Hong Kong Center.

Alice Mong, executive director at Asia Society Hong Kong Center commented, “We believe that the arts connect.  It is testament to both the power of the arts in Hong Kong and the city’s can-do attitude that partners from every sector of the industry have come on board to support the ART Power HK initiative.”

As a non-commercial project ART Power HK is also seeking crowd funding through its ‘How much is the arts worth to you?’ scheme.

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