HK creativity set to shine bright at WestK Shanghai Week in June

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKDCA) has announced the hosting of the "WestK Shanghai Week 2025" from June 18 to 22, marking the first cross-disciplinary showcase of creative programs curated or co-organized by the West K outside the city to market the Hong Kong brand.

The event will collaborate with six renowned cultural and artistic institutions and venues in Shanghai to present seven leading cultural programs to Shanghai audiences.

Among the highlights is the M+ museum special exhibition "I.M. Pei: Life Is Architecture", which will be on display at the Power Station of Art in Shanghai from April 26 to July 27, and later tour to the Qatar Museums Gallery, AI Riwaq in Doha from November to February.

Meanwhile, the original Cantonese musical "The Impossible Trail" will be shown in Shanghai from June 17 to 29, presenting the story of Fong Tong-geng, a greedy and malevolent lawyer in Guangdong province during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Despite the musical being performed in Cantonese, WKCDA CEO Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee noted that subtitles will be provided for the audience.

The Hong Kong Palace Museum will also stage its "City Rhythms: Chinese Traditional Culture Reinterpreted (City Rhythms)" at Shanghai's Zhang Yuan from June 20  to July 31, offering a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Chinese gardens and landscape.

Three jazz concerts are also scheduled on June 18,20 and 21 at JZ Club, one of the iconic jazz clubs in Shanghai, offering performances by Hong Kong musicians, including international champion harmonicist CY Leo(Ho Cheuk Yin), composer-pianist Daniel Chu and singer-songwriter Walter Kwan.

Moreover, the Xiqi Center will co-organize the experimental Cantonese opera "Farewell My Concubine (New Adaption)" with Wanping Theatre on June 20 and 21, combining traditional opera performance with contemporary stage and lighting design to portray the relationship between Xiang Tu and Consort Yuji (Concubine Yu).

The dance performance, "Hong Kong Dance Company's Chinese Dance X Martial Arts", will also be held on June 21 and 22 at Zhang Yuan and Shanghai International Dance center, respectively.

Additionally, there will be an array of promotional activities in Shanghai to promote WestK's Vision and Hong Kong cultural programs to attract visitors.

Henry Tang Ting-yen, chairman of the Board of WKDCA, noted the WestK Shanghai Week will offer an exciting opportunity to showcase the dynamism and creativity of the city to audiences in Shanghai, as well as the Yangtze River Delta, paving the way for cultural collaboration between cities.

Furthermore, Fung highlighted Shanghai Week as a platform to promote the city's arts, culture, and tourism, revealing the potential for holding similar events in other mainland cities.