How Hong Kong universities are shaping the future of the arts
Hong Kong's emphasis on the visual arts is noticeable to all who visit, from the wealth of renowned galleries and acclaimed artists staging exhibitions within their walls, to annual events including Art Basel and Art Central, which form a cornerstone of Hong Kong Art Month, attracting legions of visitors from all over the world.
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The visual arts are equally well represented across Hong Kong's educational institutions, each aiming to bolster the city's home-grown talents and equip young creatives with the skills to succeed in the arts.
The two-year, fully online HKU Space MFA Photography course incorporates a mixture of recorded lectures and live sessions, inviting students to contribute to discussions and develop their own voices. It was developed as a partnership programme with Ulster University in the UK, 'The course aims to manage and facilitate the development of major bodies of photographic work,' says course director and senior lecturer for Ulster University's BA, DL and MFA Photography courses, Ken Grant FHEA.
Visual arts courses aim to equip young creatives with the skills to succeed in their chosen field. Photo: Handout
With assignments set at each stage of the course, and project proposal submissions that form the students' major project portfolios, the programme ensures graduates are 'capable of contributing successfully to the cultural and professional contexts in which the industry operates'. This includes the realms of fine art, documentary, and the publishing and advertising industries, among others.
The course saw revisions to both its structure and delivery last year, including the launch of video conferencing tool Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, showing a commitment to state-of-the-art learning.
'Externally, we collaborate with major institutions for our final year students' shows, and students participate in the highly respected Belfast Photo Festival as part of the graduation show,' explains Grant.
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The programme continually adapts to meet the demands of the changing creative working landscapes. 'The incorporation of AI is certainly at the forefront of discussions and staff have planned an international symposium to look at these changes from the many diverse positions held within the industry,' Grant says.
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