The best art hubs and cultural centres to explore in Hong Kong

There’s no talking about art hubs without mentioning this beast. Since Tai Kwun opened to the public in 2018, the revitalised landmark has consistently played host to a slew of art exhibitions featuring artworks of all mediums from across the globe. There’s no limit to what kind of creativity you’ll be facing on your next visit. Apart from a constant stream of exhibitions in their indoor and outdoor spaces, Tai Kwun also houses six art galleries ranging from contemporary to ceramic art. The very location itself is also an aesthetic delight, with a mix of colonial-style buildings, conserved prison cells, and brand-new modern blocks combining to create a true icon in the heart of Hong Kong.

Here to make Hong Kong’s reputation as Asia’s leading art hub an undisputable claim is H Queen’s. Since opening in 2018, the swanky building in Central has welcomed many new additions to the Hong Kong art scene, including the first Asian outpost of fine art gallery David Zwirner and the notable Tokyo-founded Whitestone Gallery. Established names in the local scene, such as Pace Gallery and Tang Contemporary Art, have also relocated to the building to take advantage of its massive two-storey spaces that sit unhindered by columns and windows.

This old animal quarantine depot in To Kwa Wan is the only surviving pre-war slaughterhouse in Hong Kong. In service from 1908 to 1999, the abattoir was later converted into an art village in 2001 to house artists relocated from the Oil Street art space. One might say the Cattle Depot is a precursor to similar projects like PMQ. Of approximately 20 art organisations that have spaces here, the most prominent are arguably Videotage, a UNESCO-listed non-profit organisation focusing on moving images and media art, and the flamboyant, maximalist Hong Kong artist, Frog King.

Located in North Point, this art space’s interesting name is a reference to both its location – Oil Street – and its mission of calling attention to the art around us. The red bricked Grade II historic building complex has been around since 1908, living several lives before being opened to the public as Oi! in 2013. The site houses indoor and outdoor spaces that host art exhibitions and community activities which are often free to visit.

Another historic venue that has been revitalised into an artsy destination, PMQ used to be a school, then the Former Police Married Quarters, and has been a centre for all things creative and design-based since 2014. Old residential units that used to house police officers and their families now contain workshops, studios, and boutiques by artists working on everything from small jewellery pieces to interior design. Look out for pop-ups, craft markets, art festivals, and the like that occur regularly at PMQ as well.

If you’re into couture as an art form, then The Mills is the creative hub for you. This Tsuen Wan factory used to be a cotton mill back in the 1960s, and has now been revitalised into a home for the fashion and textile industry. Check out their CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts, and Textile) conservation project which hosts regular exhibitions and events on textile art, and head to Mills Fabrica and the Shopfloor to find fashion works by local artists, young talents, and small start-ups.

Established in 1977, this is one of Hong Kong’s oldest arts institutions and exhibition spaces. Showcasing visual arts, performing arts, moving images, media arts, comics and animation, community art, and more, the HKAC brings a diverse range of artistic disciplines to Hong Kong. Its gallery spaces have a strong focus on Asian contemporary art, but they also host annual art fairs, theatre performances, film screenings, and art education programmes.

Once a factory estate that housed the city’s cottage industries, the JCCAC was given a new lease on life as a creative hub in 2008, housing about 140 artists and cultural organisations who have set up studios within its halls. One of our favourite spaces on-site is Lumenvisum, a non-profit art organisation that showcases local photographers and their refreshing perspectives on topics spanning from relationships with domestic helpers to LGBTQIA+ life in Hong Kong. Visitors are free to walk around the nine floors and visit the galleries, though access to artists’ studios might depend on individual availability.