The 5th International Arts Leadership Roundtable
The development of the arts and cultural ecosystem in the post-pandemic era

The Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) organised the 5^th International Arts Leadership Roundtable (Roundtable) at the Hong Kong Palace Museum from October 14 to 15, 2024. Themed “Art or No Art? Does It Matter?”, this year’s Roundtable brought together cultural leaders from nine countries who share the challenges and issues faced by the arts and culture sector in the post-pandemic era. The three plenary discussions of the Roundtable also explored corresponding strategies and measures.

The Roundtable served as the prelude to the inaugural Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), which took place from 14 to 18 October 2024. Both events were organized by the HKADC. This year’s Roundtable boasted an impressive lineup of speakers, including national and museum cultural leaders from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, England, Scotland, and the Czech Republic. In addition, there were two special guests: a representative from the Japanese immersive digital art collective teamLab, Mr Takuya Takei who was a plenary speaker, and Mr. Joseph Fowler, the Head of the Arts and Culture of the World Economic Forum (WEF), who delivered the congratulatory remarks at the end of the event.

The three discussion topics were titled “Walking Out of the Tunnel,” “New Ways of Doing Things or Doing New Things?” and “The Rise of Non-Artists or New Artists?”. Cultural leaders discussed rebuilding the arts ecosystem post-pandemic, new methods of creation using the latest technology and artificial intelligence, and the phenomenon of “new art and artists.”

Founded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2013, the Roundtable has become a significant international cultural event and an important platform for cultural exchange. It brings together arts and cultural leaders from around the world to share experiences, and to discuss the most prevailing global arts issues and trends in the arts and culture sector today.

To delve deeper into the future development of Hong Kong's creative economy, HKADC invited representatives from the WEF and the internationally renowned immersive digital art team, teamLab to hold a media briefing at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on 14 October 2024, sharing successful case studies and discussing new trends and opportunities in the global arts development.

As an international cultural hub, the HKADC has long played a leadership role in the industry, actively promoting the development of art technology. Apart from discovering and nurturing local creative resources and talent, HKADC also continuously connects internationally to foster the thriving development of the arts industry in Hong Kong.

The interdisciplinary international arts team, teamLab, has consistently explored the relationship between humans and the world through art, proposing new ways of perception. Their latest project in Abu Dhabi, "teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi," introduces a novel artistic concept called "Environmental Phenomena," which was introduced at the briefing.

The WEF explored from a cultural perspective, how the arts could enhance the quality of life, well-being, and foster a sense of community and belonging. Mr. Joseph Fowler of the WEF shared insights into WEF initiatives and collaborative models between non-cultural sectors and the arts community, demonstrating ways to facilitate cross-sector partnerships with the arts. These perspectives offered valuable lessons for Hong Kong's creative economy development.

Program Rundown