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Hong Kong will advance the establishment of a premium arts trading hub and continue to support the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) as part of an effort to enhance its position as an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu reiterated that Hong Kong has a unique background as a cultural melting pot, serving as a vital bridge linking China with the international community, and ranks among the world's top three arts trading centers.
To consolidate and enhance these advantages, the government will complete a study on arts trading centers within this year, while the WKCD is set to welcome its first mainland arts auction house later this year.
The newly established WestK Academy will organize an international fellowship program for auctioneers in partnership with a mainland trade association, as well as offer courses on Chinese arts and heritage conservation.
The WKCD has already attracted more than 17 million visitors and entered into nearly 50 collaborative agreements with renowned arts and cultural institutions around the globe. It has also successfully brought numerous exhibitions and performing arts programs to the mainland and overseas.
Scheduled to open next year, the WestK Performing Arts Centre will feature four performance venues built to the highest international theatre standards, including "Dancehouse", the first dedicated venue for dance art in Hong Kong.
An extraordinary line-up of performances will be presented in its inaugural year, featuring the world premiere of a large-scale production by the resident company, as well as Hong Kong's debuts of internationally acclaimed dance, theatre and Broadway shows, and major co-productions with local and overseas art groups.
The development of the performing arts sector will also drive the plan to construct a second campus for the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, which ranked 10th globally and first in Asia in the 2026 QS World University Rankings for Performing Arts.
The academy is currently taking forward a temporary campus extension in Chai Wan and its long-term plan to construct a second campus in the Northern Metropolis.
Furthermore, the government will inject HK$200 million into the Arts and Sport Development Fund (Arts Portion). While maintaining the current overall funding level for major performing arts groups, a funding in-and-out mechanism tied to performance and artistic merit will be introduced.
