Hong Kong Arts Festival – February 22-March 22, 2025

History of Hong Kong Arts Festival

Launched in 1973, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the world, channeled towards enriching Hong Kong’s cultural life and promoting the work of both local and international performing artists. The celebration also offers educational events, as well as opportunities for young people who wish to explore the performing arts. The festival takes a special interest in supporting local talent. So far, over 200 local productions have been commissioned and produced, including genres such as theater, chamber opera, Cantonese opera, music, and contemporary dance. These productions have experienced success both locally and internationally.

The festival has contributed immensely to the development of young talent. Since 1992, it has connected with over 782,000 secondary and tertiary students through a program called “H.K.A.F Young Friends.” To encourage participation, it issues close to 10,000 half-price tickets to students every year. By virtue of it being a non-profit organization, the festival receives its funding through box office promotions and private donations. However, through a government matching scheme in Hong Kong, the government matches whatever the Festival can raise on its own. Through partnerships with international artists and institutions, the festival has successfully produced several outstanding works, such as “The Window Washer”, “The Tempest” and “Richard III”.

During the festival, there is a wide range of activities to participate in, such as films, lectures, masterclasses, workshops, demonstrations, symposia, and even backstage visits.