Can the arts inspire climate change? The secret behind HKYAF’s success in engaging hundreds of young artists in Hong Kong

The Purpose
Created by the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (HKYAF) and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: stART Up Community Arts Project has been running since 2017. Covering social issues and themes including multigenerational arts and anti-bullying, for 2020-21 the chosen topic was climate change. HKYAF appointed artists to work with teachers and young people to create works on environmental issues. Mediums included performing and visual arts, and within this, covered both art forms popular with Hong Kong’s youth such as acapella, and those they have fewer opportunities to learn such as songwriting and spoken word. Environmental issues covered ranged from electronic waste, fast fashion and extreme weather to plastic waste, rising sea levels, and animal species extinction.

The Challenge
Hundreds of young people were engaged in making artwork, but like so many events in 2020-21, the format of the festival had to be rethought because of pandemic restrictions. However, the shift to an online-offline hybrid format opened up some positive opportunities. For example, artist demonstration films were developed for schools, which, coupled with providing art materials to schools, allowed students to create their own works. Teachers were also grateful for these resources, which helped bring variety to the challenging work of engaging students through months of the pandemic in a non-classroom setting.

104 schools also took part in the wider online program, including 11,950 students. 92% of those participating said that they will take more action on environmental protection

The Solution
The project also partnered with local community green groups, including Redress, WEEE-Park, The Mills, Eastern Community Green Station, Mil Mill, Wheel Maker, and Tai PO Community Green Station. This was a mutually beneficial arrangement: these groups were able to share expertise, which informed the artworks, and they experienced the effectiveness of the arts as a tool to raise awareness of environmental issues, often for the first time. They also created further reach for the project by displaying the final artworks on their own websites and platforms.

Artists involved included participants in HKYAF’s Youth Assistant Choreographers program, who took leadership roles in choreographing and directing many of the filmed dance pieces. Hong Kong does not provide many opportunities for young dancers to lead or a platform for their works, so this was an innovative aspect for the city. It also meant that students had a unique opportunity to work with professionals, leading to a very high standard of work.

The Impact
In total, 25 sets of visual and performing artworks were created by 900 students with support from teaching and commissioned artists, reflecting what they had learned about environmental issues. These can still be seen on YouTube, categorized across four strands: exhibitions, a ‘Why on Earth’ performing arts series, #BeTheChange dance and spoken word, and ‘Take Action’ – free online activities for school pupils. 104 schools also took part in the wider online program, including 11,950 students. 92% of those participating said that they will take more action on environmental protection: demonstrating the power of the arts to convey messages on important issues.

Source: World Cities Culture Report 2022

Images Courtesy © City of Hong Kong