Art Central is making a highly anticipated return to Hong Kong's Central Harbourfront this week, reigniting excitement as a flagship event for the city's Art March. Opening its doors to the public on Wednesday, the five-day art fair will showcase works from 117 galleries and over 500 artists. Notably, 20 percent of this year’s presentations will spotlight Hong Kong-based artists and galleries, while 75 percent of the participants represent the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Corey Andrew Barr, the fair director, praised that the diversity of participation showcases Hong Kong's pivotal role in the global exchange of art and culture and reflects the cultural vitality of the city.
Launched in 2015, Art Central is recognized as a platform where emerging perspectives gain momentum and established practices are reimagined.
Entering its second decade, the fair will debut the brand new "Central Stage," a platform highlighting artists with strong international recognition who have been featured in major institutions, biennials, and museum collections.
The six artists and collectives featured this year come from Japan, Indonesia, Iran, America, Ukraine, South Africa, and Finland.
Enoch Cheng, who has curated the fair for the third consecutive year, said their work spans performance, painting, installation, sculpture, and photography, and many are rarely shown in Hong Kong or even in Asia.
The "Neo" sector continues for a third year, giving galleries in their first or second year at Art Central a chance to experiment and showcase emerging voices.
Of the 10 participating galleries, six are returning, and four are brand new, which is considered a sign that the sector is working as a platform for growth.
Meanwhile, the "Yi Tai Sculpture and Installation Projects" will feature five new installations, including projects by three Hong Kong artists, to showcase the fair’s mission of supporting local talent.
"I'm especially proud to see local artists embracing ambition, creating bold large-scale works," Cheng said. "Two of them were first commissioned by us at Art Central two years ago, and it's truly rewarding to see how far they have come."
As another testimony to nurturing local forces, the fair will debut Kaitlyn Hau’s commissioned work, Recursive Feedback Ritual 0.01 (2026), a large-scale installation and motion-capture performance.
The work is part of the creative program that unfolds through installation, moving-Image, performance, and on-site dialogues, curated by Zoie Yung.
As a Hong Kong native, Yung said she is "deeply inspired by the richness and significance of our home culture" and highlighted that she intentionally included a Canto-pop commercial music video in the screening program alongside works of internationally renowned artists.
"I believe it shows the value of our local cultural talents," she added. "They deserve our recognition on the same aesthetic level."
The fair will be held at the Central Harbourfront at 9 Lung Wo Road. The public opening begins on Wednesday from 12pm to 5pm, followed by Night Central from 5pm to 9pm.
Hours are from 12pm to 7pm on Thursday and Friday, from 11am to 7pm on Saturday, and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday.
Art Central 2026 is financially supported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Event Fund under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, with UOB as the leading partner.
