Speech by PSCST at opening ceremony of Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference 2026
Following is the speech by the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum, at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference 2026 today (April 27):
The Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum (left), Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Sophia (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Sophia Chong), (Director of the Asia Tourism Exchange Center, Mr Zhang Dong), Maura (President and Chief Executive Officer of Licensing International, Ms Maura Regan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
I am delighted to join you all today at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference 2026.
The Hong Kong International Licensing Show is a premier annual event that brings together global licensors and brands to explore business opportunities with licensees, agents and traders. This year, we are thrilled to have over 600 brands and 330 exhibitors participating in this three-day fair right here in Hong Kong.
The Government has been actively promoting the cultural and creative IP (intellectual property) industry in line with the strategic directions set out in the Policy Address. At the Hong Kong International Licensing Show this year, we are pleased to present 39 emerging Hong Kong design companies supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, CCIDA in short, under my bureau. These companies are showcasing their licensable designs at the DLAB (Design Licensing and Business) Hong Kong Pavilion. Their participation not only highlights the vitality and originality of Hong Kong designs, but also helps raise our international visibility and market competitiveness. I invite you to stop by and show your support to our young designers.
Looking ahead, CCIDA will continue to support the production, application and circulation of cross-sector and cross-genre creative content through the CreateSmart Initiative, our dedicated funding scheme for Hong Kong's creative sector. In particular, we are stepping up support for collaborative projects involving cultural IPs with development potential across a range of sectors, including animation and comics, printing and publishing, design, film, and art technology.
I wish to cite the animation project Another World () as an example. With support from CCIDA, it has grown from a promising start-up project of short animation into an award-winning feature film with international attention. Building on this success, the project has gone on to register and commercialise nine IP characters, with art toy prototypes now under development. This demonstrates how creative ideas, when nurtured in the right ecosystem, can evolve into valuable and marketable IP assets.
To expand market opportunities and broaden the audience reach of local IPs and capture new commercial opportunities across the retail, tourism and lifestyle sectors, we are also supporting various public-facing initiatives both locally and abroad.
In addition, CCIDA has been working closely with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to promote the registration of creative products on the Asia IP Exchange. Following the commencement of its new operation on March 31 this year, the platform now offers a comprehensive database of nearly 10000 arts, cultural and creative IP items, which further facilitates commercialisation, licensing and business transactions.
I would like to congratulate the Hong Kong Trade Development Council on organising these two important events once again. I also wish all exhibitors, visitors and participants a very rewarding experience in the days ahead.
Thank you.
Previous Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference, Photo source: hktdc.com
Chinese Culture Festival 2026 to hold free Chinese opera talks, workshops and exhibitions
To foster public appreciation and understanding of the artistic features of Chinese opera, the Chinese Opera Festival (COF) 2026, as a core part of the Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2026, will organise a series of free activities from May to September, including talks on Chinese opera culture, demonstration talks and stylised movement workshops as well as thematic exhibitions. These activities will explore the artistic essence and repertoire appreciation of various opera genres from multiple perspectives.
Talks on the Culture of Chinese Opera
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In conjunction with this year's COF theme "Righteousness and Loyalty in Chinese Opera" and repertoires, Chinese opera researchers Chen Liangliang and Hu Guangming will lead audiences through the distinctive charm of Chinese opera culture - from literary themes to role categories and stage artistry - with professional guidance and insightful analysis.
Topic: Attachment and Illusion: The Dramaturgy of "A Dream Under the Southern Bough"
Date: May 9 (Saturday)
Speaker: Chen Liangliang
Topic: When Loyalty Means Sacrifice: From Lin Chong to Yue Fei
Date: May 16 (Saturday)
Speaker: Chen Liangliang
Topic: Loyalty and Filial Piety as Represented by the Yang Family in Chinese Opera Tradition: Insights from the Yu Opera "Mu Guiying Takes Command"
Date: May 23 (Saturday)
Speaker: Hu Guangming
Topic: The Performing Arts of the "Wusheng" in Peking Opera: Insights from "Lin Chong on the Run" and "The Pulley"
Date: May 30 (Saturday)
Speaker: Hu Guangming
"'Kunqu' On and Beyond the Stage" Demonstration Talks
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Presented by Chinese opera researcher Chan Chun-miu, with live demonstrations by the Concordia Kunqu Society of Hong Kong, these demonstration talks will delve into the essence of "Kunqu" music, development and the set tunes that it performs, guiding audiences into the refined aesthetics of the genre from a more comprehensive perspective.
Topic: What Does Qu Mean in "Kunqu"?
Date: May 17 (Sunday)
Topic: What Plays are Performed in Kunqu Opera?
Date: May 24 (Sunday)
Topic: The Codified Notation of "Kunqu" Music
Date: May 31 (Sunday)
Topic: The Exquisite Art of "Kunqu": A Guided Concert
Date: June 7 (Sunday)
The Talks on the Culture of Chinese Opera and "'Kunqu' On and Beyond the Stage" Demonstration Talks will be conducted in Putonghua, and will be held at 2.30pm at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Admission is free, and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1963.html#tab_13_0). Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Workshops and Talks on Kunqu Opera
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Main cast members of the Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera Theatre will offer demonstrations and interactive experiences, allowing participants to appreciate Kunqu opera's captivating artistry - from stage stylised movements to the art of painted faces.
Workshop on the Stylised Movements of "Sheng" (Male) Roles
in Kunqu Opera
Date: June 29 (Monday)
Tutor: Shi Xiaming
Workshop on the Stylised Movements of "Dan" (Female) Roles
in Kunqu Opera
Date: June 30 (Tuesday)
Tutor: He Xinyue
A Demonstration Talk on the Painted Faces of "Kunqu"
Date: July 29 (Wednesday)
Speaker: Sun Jing
The above-mentioned workshops on the stylised movements will be held at 7.30pm at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, while A Demonstration Talk on the Painted Faces of "Kunqu" will be held at 7.30pm at the Exhibition Gallery of Sha Tin Town Hall. The events will be conducted in Putonghua. Admission is free, and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1963.html#tab_13_0). Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Exhibitions
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Thematic exhibitions will be held at various venues across the city from June to September. Alongside displays introducing Peking opera's martial male roles and the Kunqu Opera "A Dream Under the Southern Bough", an exhibition entitled "The Righteous and the Loyal in Chinese Opera" will be presented to complement this year's COF theme, inviting visitors to gain insights into the profound cultural heritage and patriotic spirit embedded in Chinese opera. Admission is free.
The Art of Peking Opera Actors in Full Armour Roles
Period: June 10 to 28
Venue: Foyer Exhibition Area, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
The Virtual Realm of Kingdom of Huai'an - The Staging of "A Dream Under the Southern Bough"
Period: June 18 to 27
Venue: Exhibition Gallery, Sha Tin Town Hall
Period: June 29 to August 2
Venue: Foyer Exhibition Area, Tai Po Civic Centre
"The Righteous and the Loyal in Chinese Opera" Exhibition
Period: June 24 to July 10
Venue: Exhibition Gallery, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Period: July 15 to 31
Venue: Exhibition Corner, Yuen Long Theatre
Period: July 17 to September 4
Venue: Arts Resource Centre, Hong Kong Central Library
In addition to the above-mentioned talks, workshops and exhibitions, extension activities including meet-the-artists sessions, backstage tours and a demonstration performance of Peking opera will be held during the CCF period to promote the artistry and culture of Chinese traditional opera. For more information about the events, please call 2268 7325 or visitwww.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1963.html.
The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public's sense of national identity and cultural confidence, thereby facilitating patriotic education. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Chinese Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2026 will be held from June to September. It will host various forms of distinctive stage programmes and related extension activities, film screenings, thematic exhibitions, talks, workshops, as well as community and school activities, affording the public and visitors more opportunities to appreciate and experience the beauty of fine traditional Chinese culture. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2026, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.
Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
