Today, marking its 40th Anniversary Open Day, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) mounted a collaborative showcase featuring over a hundred free performing arts activities and attracting over 8,000 visitors to the Wanchai Main Campus and the Bėthanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam.
Dr. Gordon Munro, Acting Director of the Academy, remarked, “It fills me with joy to see so many members of the public enjoying our performances and participating in a day filled with excitement and enthusiasm. Visitors were not only immersed in the magic of the performing arts but also captivated by the remarkable performances and works of students from all of our Schools. As we celebrate the 40th Anniversary this year, today’s Open Day has once again demonstrated our commitment to nurturing performing arts talents, and our contribution to developing Hong Kong as an East meets West centre for international cultural exchange.”
A wide array of performing arts activities were showcased, including a performance by the Junior Symphony Orchestra, Chinese and Western music concerts, excerpts from musicals, dramas, and Cantonese opera, dance open classes, film and television screenings, as well as guided tours for visitors to engage in immersive performing arts experiences. Visitors had the opportunity to explore backstage areas to discover the secrets of stage design, prop and costume making, and stage effects, allowing them to indulge completely in the world of performing arts.
About The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (www.hkapa.edu)
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.