The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG) to collaborate in nurturing diverse arts and cultural talents in Hong Kong and the Mainland, and promoting the development of the arts and cultural industry as well as performing arts education in higher education sector.
The MoU signing ceremony took place on Wednesday, 16 October 2024, at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts following the visit by the CAEG delegation. The memorandum was signed by Mr Charles Yang Chuen-liang, Council Chairman of HKAPA, and Mr Li Jinsheng, Chairman of CAEG, with the attendance of representatives from both organisations.
Under the Government’s policy to develop Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, HKAPA has always been focusing on nurturing a rich diversity of arts and cultural talents in Hong Kong and the region. This MoU with CAEG marks the Academy’s first industry-academic partnership with a Mainland industry leader, aimed at strengthening the Academy’s industry connections and enhancing students’ professional portfolios and career prospects in Hong Kong, the Mainland, and overseas. Building on this strategic partnership, the Academy and the Group will join hands to explore extensive artistic collaborations and bolster the education and training of top-notch performing arts talents as cultural ambassadors. The collaboration will commence with a series of potential initiatives, including students’ education and staff training, joint artistic creations and performances, student artistic practice and internships, and artistic research.
Mr Charles Yang Chuen-liang, Council Chairman of the Academy, expressed, “The signing of the MoU with the China Arts and Entertainment Group is an important milestone in the development of the Academy as it is the first Academy’s ‘school-enterprise collaboration’ with a leading cultural enterprise in the Mainland. I eagerly look forward to the extensive collaboration between the Academy and the China Arts and Entertainment Group in the future to strengthen talent cultivation, promote east-west cultural exchange, enhance the international influence of Chinese performing arts, and bring more development opportunities for talents from both sides.”
Mr Li Jinsheng, Chairman of CAEG, said, “We are delighted to have visited the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Academy. The China Arts and Entertainment Group is willing to collaborate with the Academy by leveraging our respective high-quality resources. We aim to engage in extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation in areas of talent cultivation, joint artistic creation and performance, student artistic practice and internships, and artistic research. Together, we shall promote the development of the cultural and art industry and performing arts education.”
Professor Gillian Choa, Director of the Academy, welcomed the collaboration, “The signing of the MoU symbolises a strengthened and beneficial relationship between HKAPA and CAEG that has been forged for a few years. The Academy is dedicated to advancing innovative performing arts education, pushing the boundaries of performing arts practices and fostering collaborations with leading academic and industry institutions. I am glad that our educational mission and vision align strongly with the goals of CAEG. We look forward to partnering and engaging CAEG in extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation to nurture performing arts talent and contribute to the cultural development of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Together, we shall promote the development of the arts and cultural industry and performing arts education.”
In celebration of the 40th Anniversary, the Academy is presenting, throughout the academic year, a myriad of engaging events with the aim to showcase the exceptional talents of our students from the six Schools and its achievements over the past four decades. Highlights in October include HKAPA PerformTech Symposium 2024: Staging the Future of Performing Arts, Lincoln Center Chamber Music Series and 40 Years of Brilliance – Inheriting the Artistic Legacy: HKAPA 40th Anniversary Performance Showcase. Open Day 2025 presented next March and an original musical featuring all six Schools in May 2025 are also major events that should not be missed. For details on the celebratory events, please visit the website: https://www.hkapa.edu/hkapa40a.
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA)
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance in 1984, is a leading tertiary institution in the performing arts in Asia. It provides professional undergraduate education and practice-based postgraduate studies. The study encompasses Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning.
Since 2008, the Academy has attained the Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) status awarded by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) to self-monitor and accredit its own undergraduate and post-secondary programmes in the five programme areas of Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Since 2016, the PAA status has been extended to cover Master’s Degree programmes and below; and since 2023, the programmes operated by the School of Chinese Opera accredited by HKCAAVQ has also received PAA status for its post-secondary and undergraduate programmes.
Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the site of the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, has housed training facilities for the School of Film and Television since 2006.
In the QS University Rankings announced in 2024, the Academy ranks 1st in Asia in the Performing Arts category.
China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. (CAEG)
China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. (CAEG) was established in April 2004, with its major subsidiaries, China Performing Arts Agency (CPAA) and China International Exhibition Agency (CIEA), tracing their origins back to 1957 and 1950, respectively.
As the exclusive central state-owned cultural enterprise in China with a global footprint in performance and exhibition businesses, CAEG has cultivated a nationwide market network encompassing international performing arts, art exhibitions, cultural tourism, and theater operations. With branches in key Chinese cities and select European and American locales, CAEG operates under the guiding principle of "Starting from China and going global," earning a spot among the "Top 30 China Cultural Enterprises" for eight consecutive years since 2009.
Annually, CAEG presents over 5,000 diverse performances, exhibitions, and cultural activities both domestically and internationally, showcasing a commitment to cultural exchange and artistic excellence.