- Third edition of ‘Bi-City Youth Cultural Leadership Programme’ features the theme, ‘The Future of the Cultural Ecosystem’
Students from Beijing and Hong Kong share the highlights of the leadership programme. Photo: Hong Kong Palace MuseumSixteen students from top universities in Beijing and Hong Kong have been selected to join a programme hosted by the Hong Kong Palace Museum, aimed at deepening their understanding of China’s cultural innovations.
Over the course of five weeks, the students have been taking part in workshops, masterclasses and internships related to arts and culture in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Beijing.
In July, the Hong Kong Palace Museum launched its third edition of “Bi-City Youth Cultural Leadership Programme”, with the theme, “The Future of the Cultural Ecosystem”.
One of the programme’s goals is to motivate students to notice the city’s problems and take an active role in its future leadership.
Last Friday, the programme hosted a masterclass led by renowned Cantopop singer-songwriter Ivana Wong, who shared about her creative journey.
She taught the students to set no boundaries in their creativity and to communicate with others.
“Do not be afraid to ask people [questions] because there is always something to learn from others,” the 45-year-old singer told the interns.
The student interns also shared what they learned throughout their cultural exchange, with many commenting on how the experience had shaped their understanding of all the museums, architecture firms, artists and other groups that help form a city’s cultural ecosystem.
Ricky Tian, who interned at the M+ museum, is a 22-year-old student majoring in architecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
He described that the most valuable thing he learned was the collaboration between all the different museums in the city.
“[We] observed how different types of organisations deal with art and culture, and that approach was quite different,” he noted.
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One masterclass that stood out to Tian was led by urban architect Vincent Ng, who worked to make the Hong Kong harbourfront a public space that embraces art and culture.
At the start of the programme, the student recalled how the interns were encouraged to be “the future cultural leaders”. After completing the internship, Tian explained that he gained a realistic view of the work it would take to shape the city’s cultural ecosystem.
“After I stepped into [the] workplace … I could actually see that it takes decades and decades of hard work – like an accumulation of experiences that shape a leader,” he said.
Another participant, Sophia Kam, interned at the cross-disciplinary design company One Bite Design Studio, which is known for its revitalisation projects in the city’s public spaces.
The 24-year-old said that initially she only wanted to know more about museum operations. But after a month in the programme, she learned more about what it takes to build a cultural scene.
“This programme ... led me to think about our community and how to be the youth connecting our [city] to outsiders and tell more stories to everyone,” explained the social entrepreneurship and development student at the Education University of Hong Kong.
After delving into the topics of culture and community, Kam noted: “We used the resources obtained from the programme to support subsequent local cultural projects, focusing on three main directions: community, cultural and creative products, and sustainable development.”
Kam pointed out the differences between how younger generations and the elderly engage with culture.
“We hope to present our ideas to them and allow them to accept what we [young people] are doing now,” the student said, adding that she hoped young people could conduct more events to build a healthy relationship with the city’s elderly population.
Tim Blackburn, chief executive of programme sponsor, Swire Properties, said: “We’re committed to play our role in inspiring young people to take part in developing their own cultural scene here in Hong Kong.”