The 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) opened today (27 February) with continuing support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The partnership dates back to the inception of this major cultural event in 1973, underlining the Club’s commitment to promoting arts and culture while fostering community participation.
The 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival opened with La Bella Otero by Ballet Nacional de España, one of the performances under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series. (Photo credit: ©FernandoMarco)
Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Sun Shangwu; Secretary for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Rosanna Law; Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department Manda Chan; Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao; HKAF Chairman Lo Kingman; and HKAF Executive Director Flora Yu.
Since 2008, the Club has supported three pillar programmes at the HKAF under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series. This year, the series features the festival’s opening performance of La Bella Otero by Ballet Nacional de España, choral masterpieces from The Constellation Choir and Orchestra led by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin by the National Theatre Brno.
A further highlight is the Jockey Club East-meets-West Series: Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, a Chinese-language adaptation of an ancient Greek comedy. Underscoring Hong Kong’s strength as a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, this production promotes collaboration between artists from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas.
In addition, the Club continues to support the fusion of arts and technology through the Jockey Club InnoArts Series. This year will feature a mixed-reality piano recital entitled KAGAMI by Ryuichi Sakamoto & Tin Drum. With the help of augmented reality (AR) headsets, audience members can stand beside iconic Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and experience his final performance – blending physical and digital realities.
Officiating guests at the opening ceremony of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival include HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee (centre); Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Sun Shangwu (3rd right); Secretary for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Rosanna Law (2nd right); Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department Manda Chan (1st left); Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (2nd left); HKAF Chairman Lo Kingman (3rd left); HKAF Executive Director Flora Yu (1st right).
The Club has long supported The Hong Kong Jockey Club Student Matinee Programme to give students from diverse backgrounds an appreciation of world-class artistic performances. This year the Club will provide up to 3,200 complimentary tickets to Duel Reality by The 7 Fingers – a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet in a sports arena that brings together high-energy acrobatics, dance and music. There will also be pre-show talks to deepen students’ understanding of this celebrated Shakespeare play. For details and all the latest information about this year’s programmes, please visit www.hk.artsfestival.org/en/.
The Club’s support for the Hong Kong Arts Festival, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club-supported Harmonious Horse International Exhibition Tour, part of the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign, held its Tsim Sha Tsui Community Exhibition Launch Ceremony today (16 May) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza. The exhibition showcases horse sculptures created by renowned artist Simon Ma and the works are on a year-long tour of Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, symbolising unity between the Club and the community.
Horse sculptures created by renowned artist Simon Ma, are on show at the piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre from today until 21 May.
Guests in attendance at the launch ceremony included Chris Sun, HKSAR Government Secretary for Labour and Welfare; Winfried Engelbrecht‑Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and artist Simon Ma.
Chris Sun, HKSAR Government Secretary for Labour and Welfare (3rd right); Winfried Engelbrecht Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (3rd left); renowned artist Simon Ma (2nd right); Eric Lee, Yau Tsim Mong District Officer (1st right); Wong Kwok Hing, Commissioner of Correctional Services (2nd left) at the Harmonious Horse International Exhibition Tour Tsim Sha Tsui Community Exhibition Launch Ceremony as part of the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign.
The Tsim Sha Tsui Community Exhibition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza runs from today until 21 May. The exhibition will then tour Tamar Park in Admiralty, as well as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and other locations. Through art and community engagement, it offers more citizens the opportunity to experience the unique charm of horse culture combined with contemporary art. The exhibition also features a nighttime horse-themed light show, highlighting the dynamic movement and power of galloping horses.
Guests joined hands to paint mini horse sculptures at the launch ceremony.
Guests joined hands to paint mini horse sculptures at the launch ceremony.
Guests joined hands to paint mini horse sculptures at the launch ceremony.
Today’s launch ceremony also saw the announcement of the winners of the “Horse With You” Art Competition, launched by the Club in conjunction with Ma. A renowned interdisciplinary artist from Hong Kong, Ma is dedicated to promoting cultural and artistic exchange between East and West, with the horse serving as a significant creative symbol representing strength, unity and the spirit of heritage. As part of the Club’s 140th anniversary celebrations, thousands of young people - from kindergarten to university level – created artworks for the competition, drawing inspiration from the equine paintings of pioneering Chinese artist Xu Beihong. The competition comprised ten categories, with 30 winners or winning teams selected.
Winfried Engelbrecht Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (7th right) presented awards to winners of the “Horse With You” Art Competition.
Almost 100 (TBC) award-winning students from the “Horse With You” Art Competition - launched by the Club in conjunction with Simon Ma – together with mentees of the HKSAR Government’s Strive and Rise Programme and underprivileged students, joined hands to paint mini horse sculptures at the launch ceremony.
Almost 100 (TBC) award-winning students from the “Horse With You” Art Competition - launched by the Club in conjunction with Simon Ma – together with mentees of the HKSAR Government’s Strive and Rise Programme and underprivileged students, joined hands to paint mini horse sculptures at the launch ceremony.
The Club’s Year of the Horse campaign is a year-long celebration of the close bond between horses and humans and the contribution racing makes to Hong Kong. It also promotes tourism as well as equine and sports development. Racing is not only the city’s favourite pastime, but also a symbol of its “can-do” spirit and stability under One Country, Two Systems. Through the success of Hong Kong horses on the international stage, the sport also brings pride to the community and global recognition to our city. None of this would be possible without the horse. For more information, please visit https://hkjc.com/YOTH.
Guests posed a group photo with winners of the “Horse With You” Art Competition.
