Asia Art Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 85 Week of 5 October 2026
(1) Hang Seng University hosted international symposium on generative AI and art culture
The School of Communication at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong held a two-day international symposium titled “Al Creativity, Ethics, and Interdisciplinarity: A Symposium on Empowering Arts and Culture Communication through Generative AI,” attracting more than 200 scholars and industry experts from Finland, the United States, mainland China and Hong Kong.
(2) 8th Shanghai International Artwork Trade Week to open in November
The 8th Shanghai International Artwork Trade Week will take place from 10 to 15 November 2026 under the theme “Global Art Scene · Art Shanghai · Art Moves Life,” once again marking “Shanghai Time” for the global art market.
(3) Interview with ADC Chief Executive Pheon Tsang: HKPAX reconnects global performing arts
The 2nd Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), organised by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, will run from 9 to 13 October 2026 under the theme “Passion in Motion,” presenting more than 40 international performances and project showcases alongside over 30 dialogue sessions.
(4) New-style opera Sleepless Moon concluded five sold-out performances
The original Sino-Western hybrid opera Sleepless Moon, completed its five-performance run from 1 to 4 October 2026 at East Kowloon Cultural Centre to full houses and standing ovations.
(1) Hang Seng University hosted international symposium on generative AI and art culture
(Photo Credit: Wen Wei Po)
Dean of the School of Communication Scarlet Tso (曹虹) at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong said the event aligns with the HKSAR Government’s strategy to accelerate the development of Hong Kong as a centre for Chinese and foreign cultural and arts exchanges, while also reflecting the school’s commitment to advancing related teaching and research.
Acting Provost and Vice-President (Academic and Research) David Tse (謝貴枝) noted that generative AI has become a powerful force reshaping how humanity creates, understands and transmits culture. He stressed that ethical and creative applications of AI are not constraints on progress but the foundation that allows progress to go further.
Keynote speakers included Professor Andrés Lucero from Aalto University, who described AI as a collaborative partner in the creative process rather than a mere replacement, and Professor Chen Changfeng (陳昌鳳) from Jinan University and Tsinghua University, who argued that generative AI is transforming creativity into a new form of intelligent infrastructure that fundamentally reshapes traditional modes of artistic creation and cultural communication.
The symposium examined opportunities and challenges in areas such as creative ethics, copyright, education and cultural governance. Participating institutions included Communication University of China, Fudan University, Shenzhen University and others, while industry figures such as the Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum Dr. Louis Ng (吳志華) and the Executive Director at The Hong Kong Ballet Heidi Lee (李易璿) also contributed practical perspectives.
News Source: https://www.wenweipo.com/a/202610/03/AP6ac0ae0ce4b01d54a285bed9.html
(2) 8th Shanghai International Artwork Trade Week to open in November
(Photo Credit: CNR)
Since its launch in 2019, the Shanghai International Artwork Trade Week (上海國際藝術品交易周) has become a key driver in Shanghai’s development as an international art trading centre. This year’s edition centres on four major art fairs: West Bund Art & Design (西岸藝術與設計博覽會), ART021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair (ART021上海廿一當代藝術博覽會), Shanghai Youth Art Fair (上海青年藝術博覽會) and the International Craft Innovation Fair (國際工藝創新博覽會), covering contemporary art, young artists, craft design and experimental aesthetics.
Policy support continues with the China International Import Expo (CIIE) (中國國際進口博覽會)’s “five pieces duty-free (5件免稅)” rule for cultural relics and artworks. The 9th CIIE cultural relics and art zone has already signed 10 exhibitors covering 2,276 square metres. Christie’s Shanghai auction and other industry events will also take place concurrently.
City-wide programmes will link multiple districts: “Art West Bund (藝術西岸)” will combine FISE extreme sports with museum shows; “Art Bund (藝術外灘)” will feature terrace seasons and a major Giacometti (賈克梅蒂) exhibition; “Art Suzhou Creek (藝術蘇河)” will host youth artist residencies; and “Art Pudong (藝術浦東)” will present exhibitions and art carnivals. The “2026 Autumn Magical Capital Art Season (2026秋約魔都美術季)” will further integrate art into everyday urban life under the concept of “livable museums.”
News Source: https://www.cnr.cn/shanghai/bxsht/20260929/t20260929_527829427.shtml
(3) Interview with ADC Chief Executive Pheon Tsang: HKPAX reconnects global performing arts
(Photo Credit: Hong Kong Commercial Daily)
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Pheon Tsang (曾淑儀) noted that the first edition of Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX) attracted participants from 60 countries and regions and over 32,000 total attendances, resulting in concrete collaborations such as the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (香港中樂團) with Poland’s Narodowe Forum Muzyki (波蘭國家音樂論壇) and the Hong Kong Ballet (香港芭蕾舞團) with the Abu Dhabi Festival (阿布達比藝術節). The second edition builds on that foundation while responding to the national 15th Five-Year Plan and Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, both of which reaffirm Hong Kong’s role as a centre for Chinese and foreign cultural and arts exchanges.
Public engagement is strengthened through three ticketed shows, including the ARTS•TECH Exhibition 4.0 (藝術．科技4.0) opening performance Art Reverie (我城), which uses emotion-tracking technology so audience data becomes live creative material. Free outdoor prelude programmes from 6 to 9 October at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza will feature dance, Cantonese opera, music and choral works against the Victoria Harbour sunset.
A new “Hong Kong Section” highlights local independent artists and small-to-medium companies, selected from nearly 100 applications. International applications for showcase and pitching sessions exceeded 1,000 from 88 countries and regions. Dual-flow exchange sessions will facilitate mainland works going overseas and foreign troupes entering the mainland market, with Hong Kong acting as a “super connector.”
Tsang described the post-expo follow-up work as that of a “matchmaker,” tracking connections made during the five-day event to foster lasting partnerships. Future plans include a possible mainland segment and visitor passes combining multi-show access with dining discounts to extend tourist stays.
News Source: https://www.hkcd.com.hk/hkcdweb/content/2026/10/05/content_8778540.html
(4) New-style opera Sleepless Moon concluded five sold-out performances
(Photo Credit: Sing Tao)
After three years of preparation, the Sleepless Moon (蔽月無眠)’s production blended Cantonese opera, Western opera, musical theatre, dance, martial arts and orchestral music. Leading roles were taken by veteran actress Michelle Yim (米雪), Cantonese opera actress Lin Yingshi (林穎施) and tenor Ngan Ka Lok Henry (顏嘉樂), with award-winning composer and music director Lora Chow (周曉晴) overseeing the score.
At the final performance, Michelle Yim expressed joy at collaborating across disciplines and thanked her younger co-stars for their patience. Lin Yingshi said she had learned a great deal from Yim, who had previously taken her to Singapore for Cantonese opera performances and treated her with maternal care both on and off stage.
The narrative weaves between historical tragedy and contemporary settings, exploring themes of destiny, sacrifice, and the possibility that human emotion and technological progress can guide one another toward greater understanding. The score and staging integrate Western operatic techniques with Cantonese opera singing, martial arts sequences, modern dance and a hybrid instrumental ensemble.
Cast and creative team expressed hopes for future revivals and tours. Audience response was enthusiastic, with many praising the ambitious cross-genre fusion and emotional depth of the performances.
