HKPAX: Asia’s New Stage for Global Arts Dialogue

In the past few years, as the world cautiously emerged from the shadow of COVID-19, the arts sector found itself at a crossroads. On the one hand, it is not lost on most arts workers what a privilege it is to have the opportunity to gather again, what more in celebration of a new kid on the performing arts block. (Particularly as the last few years saw the coming to an end of a number of similar arts meets, such as Kuala Lumpur’s Borak Arts Series.)

However, the pandemic has also forced a reevaluation of traditional practices, from touring models to audience engagement. HKPAX arrives at this crucial juncture, offering a platform for the international arts community to explore new possibilities and forge paths forward in a changed landscape.

HKPAX’s executive director Heidi Chu is keenly aware of this. “The changes in the performing arts sector following the pandemic have inspired us to host the first HKPAX to bring international performing arts professionals together, reunite the community, and provide a platform for sharing experiences and creativity in the post-pandemic landscape,” she says.

Chu adds that while numerous performing arts markets exist globally, it is essential to recognise a shared passion for advancing the arts. 

“By acknowledging our collective vision and the potential for collaboration, we can leverage each market’s unique strengths, resources, and perspectives to collectively elevate the performing arts landscape. Through cooperation and mutual support, we can accomplish our ultimate goal of promoting artistic excellence, cultural exchange, and creativity on a global scale,” she adds. 

In the spirit of this collaboration, HKPAX is strategically timed to be after PAMS in Seoul and before ChinaSPAF in Shanghai. This deliberate scheduling allows for greater connectivity and exchange of ideas within the broader Asian performing arts community. Additionally, an optional tour to Shenzhen and Guangzhou following HKPAX will enable participants to investigate opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, one of China’s most dynamic economic regions.

A Platform for International Artistic Exchange

The emphasis on reconnection and reimagination is woven throughout the expo’s programming. From showcases and pitching sessions to forums and leadership talks, HKPAX is designed to facilitate meaningful exchanges between artists, presenters, and cultural leaders from diverse backgrounds.

According to Tisa Ho, international advisor for HKPAX, one of the special features of HKPAX is its decision to ensure a substantial share of the performing arts programming from China including Hong Kong, alongside a diverse selection of offerings from elsewhere in the world. 

“The intention is both to enable participants to get to know Chinese artists and experience their work while in Hong Kong, and to provide a platform for international exchange. Many arts markets tend to focus mainly if not exclusively on presenting national or local work; but Hong Kong has always been a connector and a place where people meet to get to know each other in order to do business, so this makes perfect sense to embrace these two dimensions,” says Ho. 

The result is a diverse lineup that showcases a wide range of genres and performance styles, reflecting the rich tapestry of global performing arts – and works that, more often than not, seek to engage with and comment on some of the most urgent issues of our current time.

Amongst the international offerings are Canada’s L’Arriere Scene with Caution: Fragile, a deceptively playful examination of modern consumerism, and The Island! by Burkicom from the Czech Republic, which uses dance and movement to pick apart our place within nature.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s The Rebel Alliance will present Back To Square One?, a performance that debuted on driveways and parks right after the pandemic, and South Korea’s Seo Jungmin will perform ONE, My Utopia!, a multidisciplinary work that is inspired by traditional South Korean shamanistic ritual.

Local presentations, meanwhile, run the gamut from the experimental to the traditional: there’s Anna Lo and Rick Lau’s cabaret LauZone, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre’s dark comedy The Spoon, the China National Peking Opera Company’s The Legend of the White Snake, and the Hong Kong Ballet’s The Butterfly Lovers, just to name a few. 

HKPAX aims to loosen the boundaries between traditional and contemporary artforms, particularly in Asia. According to Chu: “Countries around the world share the same goal of preserving their heritage while embracing the present. Through HKPAX, we want to ensure the continuity of cultural traditions while allowing for evolution and adaptation to contemporary contexts.”

Fostering Dialogue 

However, one of the more unique aspects of HKPAX is its particular emphasis on conversations. Joanna C. Lee, founder of Museworks Ltd and curator of the various HKPAX talks, underscores the importance of dialogue in the current climate. 

“We’re still in a post-COVID period where conversations can still be quite awkward, particularly when the parties are distanced either physically or culturally. Our direct agenda is obviously to show that Asia is still a very vibrant place, but we also want to find out more about some of the other regions we’ve been hearing about,” she says.

According to Lee, those regions of interest include the likes of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which are rapidly growing in their appetite for the arts, and Australia, with its proximity to Asia and combination of East-West influences. 

To adequately represent the key issues in these parts of the world and others, Lee says they wanted to bring together the most diverse range of leading artists and policymakers possible. 

“We wanted to hear from both the theoretical and practical sides, to listen about long-term plans and immediate concerns, to engage with the people responsible for both artistic policy and artistic practice,” she says. 

Lee anticipates that this diversity of backgrounds and experiences will result in robust conversations that don’t shy away from the complicated issues of our time. 

“In the post-COVID, environmentally conscious period we’re in now, we face some serious dilemmas. How can culture break through a political impasse? How can we justify touring, given how much traditional travel patterns have inflated our carbon footprint? The very idea of cultural exchange has to be rethought from the very beginning, but I’m hopeful of innovative ideas and new approaches as we learn from each other,” she says. 

Undoubtedly, as HKPAX prepares to make its debut this October, it joins the global conversation on the future of performing arts in a rapidly changing world. The event’s emphasis on diverse voices, cross-cultural exchange, and tackling pressing issues reflects the complex challenges and opportunities facing the arts sector today. 

Whether HKPAX will succeed in its ambitious goals remains to be seen, but its arrival marks a significant moment for the Asian arts scene and beyond. As arts professionals from around the world converge in Hong Kong, they bring with them not just their creative works, but also their hopes, concerns, and ideas for a post-pandemic arts landscape. In doing so, they contribute to an ongoing dialogue about the role and resilience of the performing arts in our shared global culture.

Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), Oct 14-Oct 18. Purchase your tickets at hkpax.org.hk.