Traditional Music Notation in Kunqu and Cantonese Opera

14.01.2020 to 28.10.2020, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre and live-streaming

Talk 2 Literati Manuscripts due to take place on 28 October (Wednesday) has been cancelled

Polymer Clay “Cloth Tiger” Workshop

18.01.2020, Studio, Xiqu Centre

With Lunar New Year approaching, join our hands-on workshop and learn how to create your own pair of colourful polymer clay “cloth tigers”

Zentangle Drawing Workshop

21.12.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

Learn the basic techniques of this popular meditative drawing technique and create your own set of unique postcards in our Zentangle workshop

Community Engagement at the Core: Rethinking Museums for the Twenty-First Century

13.12.2019, Hotel Stage

In this talk, Kelly McKinley explores the ways in which museums are evolving in order to remain relevant and sustainable community resources in an increasingly divided and technology-driven world

Global Museums in Shifting Times

07.12.2019, JC Cube Auditorium, Tai Kwun

In this M+ Matters | Keynote, Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate, discusses the significance of these projects and the institution’s overall strategy in the context of a global sociopolitical climate that is shifting more rapidly than ever

Arts and Cultural Management: A Series of Three Talks

29.10.2019 to 26.11.2019, VTC Tower

In this series of three talks, practitioners from a range of local cultural industries share the requirements and unique functions of their areas of expertise, present case studies on successful execution of projects, and explore and compare Hong Kong’s current landscape with the international art scene

Wikipedia Asian Month 2019: Edit-a-thon on Exhibition Histories

23.11.2019, Asia Art Archive A Space

Co-presented by Asia Art Archive and M+, this event is part of an ongoing effort to contribute to discussions about the representation of art and visual culture in Asia on open-source knowledge platforms. It brings together participants to discuss, create, improve, and share Wikipedia articles about exhibitions in and about Asia

Make Your Own Chinese Knot-Inspired Coaster Set

16.11.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

By learning the techniques derived from the ‘double-coin’ knot, participants will be able to create a set of delicate coasters of their own

Dramaturgy and Beyond

12.10.2019 to 31.10.2019

The second year of our three-year “Dramaturgy and Beyond” programme and explores the role of dramaturgy in curating and festival making through a series of public seminars and professional workshops

M+ Matters: Archigram Cities – Call for Papers

We invite scholars, practitioners, and educators in the field of architecture and beyond to propose papers

Bookbinding Workshop

19.10.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

By learning the basic bookbinding techniques, participants will be able to create their own schedule book decorated with a traditional and exquisite cover inspired by Chinese paper-cutting

SHOWTIME! West Kowloon’s Artistic Strategy for Performing Arts

15.10.2019, Jockey Club Innovation Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Alison M Friedman, West Kowloon’s Acting Executive Director and Artistic Director, Performing Arts shares the artistic vision and strategies for our two major performing arts venues – the Xiqu Centre, a contemporary gateway to the ancient art form of Chinese traditional theatre, and Freespace, Hong Kong’s new centre for contemporary performance

Hong Kong Palace Museum Preview @ Fine Art Asia 2019

04.10.2019 to 07.10.2019, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Hong Kong Palace Museum’s first pre-opening programme features a lively dialogue between traditional art and technology and between the past and the present. Accompanying programmes include talks, performance and workshops

The Music of Cantonese Opera

24.09.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

This talk explores the wide range of musical elements used in Cantonese opera, looking at the different vocal styles used for male and female roles, and the use of percussive instruments and rhythmic melodies to enhance mood and narrative

Memorial Concert Commemorating Wong Yuet-sang, Maestro of Cantonese Music Culture

19.09.2019, Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre

To mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Wong Yuet-sang, maestro of Cantonese music culture in Hong Kong, the Xiqu Centre and the Centre for Chinese Music Studies of the CUHK present a memorial concert showcasing a selection of Wong’s compositions and a series of talks

Paper Lantern-crafting Workshop

14.09.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this hands-on workshop, local paper-crafting master Au Yeung Ping-chi guides participants to make an auspicious traditional bottle-shaped lantern from bamboo splints and strips of coloured paper and rice paper

Cantonese Opera Makeup Workshop

17.08.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this two-hour artist-led workshop, participants learn about the face-painting process used for lead female and male roles and how to apply a basic Cantonese opera makeup

Cantonese Opera and Kunqu: Major Works

03.08.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu uses audio and video demonstrations to illustrate and compare the literary styles of a selection of Kunqu and Cantonese opera works with similar themes

Mini Flower Plaque Workshop

20.07.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

Learn about the history and art of one of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage crafts and create your own mini flower plaque in a two-hour artist-led workshop

Screendance School Programme

The Screendance School Programme connects artists and secondary school students to explore the synergy of dance and cinematography through talks and interactive workshops

Kunqu: Portrayals of Human Nature

06.07.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu looks at the development of Kunqu productions over time, and explores how stories of life and human nature have become central themes for the genre

The Face Painting, Costumes and Props of Kunqu

22.06.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

Exploring the makeup and costumes of different role-types and characters, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu looks at how stage presentation lends richness and meaning to Kunqu performances

Wearable Xiqu-inspired Jewellery Workshop – Imitation Kingfisher Feather Brooch

15.06.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

Join a hands-on workshop and learn how to process and use ribbon to imitate the effect of kingfisher feathers, and design and create your own individual brooch

The Face Painting and Costumes of Cantonese Opera

04.06.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

This talk looks at the face painting and dressing processes used in contemporary Cantonese opera, and at the ways in which costumes contribute to the portrayal of different characters

ExecLab: Executive Short Courses 2019 – University of the Arts London

31.05.2019 to 02.06.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

Presented in collaboration with the University of the Arts London Short Courses, this three-day professional course offers insight into the skills required for managing arts and cultural events and developing sustainable creative business

The Music of Cantonese Opera

01.06.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Professor Yu Siu-wah examines the concepts and characteristics of Cantonese opera music, offers insight into basic structures and arrangements, and discusses some of the transformations that have taken place over the centuries

Reading Cantonese Music Notation

28.05.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, members of the arts group The Gong Strikes One demonstrate how to read traditional gongche music sheets and perform live on the zheng (Chinese zither) and dongxiao (bamboo flute)

The Musicality of Kunqu

25.05.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Dr Chan Chun-miu offers audiences insight into the distinctive sounds and melodies of the Kunqu art form, exploring the relationship between the use of dialects and the evolution of the art form, and the way that music and language is used to highlight different roles and characters

Xiqu Paper Headdress Workshop

18.05.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

Make your own life-size paper model and learn fun facts about xiqu headdresses in a fun, hands-on workshop

The Literature in Kunqu

30.04.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu looks at some of the literary texts used in Kunqu, and shares insight into Kunqu influence on xiqu songs and performance

Between Cantonese Opera and Film: Connie Chan and Female Cross-dressing

27.04.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

Since the post-war years, the convention of nüwenwusheng – female performers playing civil and military male roles – in Cantonese opera has been a popular practice in Hong Kong. In this talk, Prof Li Siu-leung looks at the recent history of female cross-dressing in Hong Kong Cantonese opera and film, with special reference to Connie Chan Po-chu

Stone-painting Workshop

20.04.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

During this 2-hour stone-painting workshop, Hong Kong’s first and only full-time stone painter Kam Shing-yan guides you through basic techniques, and helps you achieve a sense of focused calm that acts as a perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city

M+ Outreach Access 2018

Through an interactive outreach workshop and a customised guided tour, students are encouraged to discover different ways of understanding contemporary visual culture and to explore their own relationship with it

Hong Kong Flower Show 2019 – West Kowloon Cultural District

15.03.2019 to 24.03.2019, Victoria Park, Hong Kong

West Kowloon is staging a landscaped garden at this year’s Hong Kong Flower Show, taking inspiration from the Chinese hibiscus – the theme flower of this year’s event – and our upcoming venue, Freespace, in the West Kowloon Art Park. Join us at Victoria Park to explore a picture-perfect floral display

ExecLab: Executive Short Courses 2019 – RADA Business

15.03.2019 to 17.03.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

Working closely with RADA Business, the commercial arm of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), the world-class learning programme builds on dramatic arts, helping people at work to become brilliant communicators

Wearable Xiqu-inspired Jewellery – Resin Stone Brooch

16.03.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this fun creative workshop, local artists Kong Hoi-kan and Ng Sze-yu show you how to make a xiqu-inspired costume brooch using coloured resin stones and share insight into the symbolic role of garments and head pieces in xiqu performances

Paper Puppet Making Workshop: Lion Dance Head

16.02.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre

For an auspicious start to the Lunar New Year, join our handicraft workshop and create a personalised paper puppet of a lion dance head and learn more about this unique cultural tradition!

Contributing to an Open Society through Digitised Museum Collections

15.02.2019, Hotel Stage

In this talk, the speaker discusses efforts to embrace the digital era’s potential to improve access to museum collections for creative reuse and public engagement

Visitors Making Meaning – Constructivist Learning in Museums

31.01.2019, Hotel Stage

In this session, the speaker introduces the idea of constructivist pedagogy and how it can be applied in museums to the creation of all kinds of interpretation materials

West Kowloon at Hong Kong Trade Development Council Education and Careers Expo

24.01.2019 to 27.01.2019, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Visit our booth to find out more about our latest developments and career opportunities. We will also be conducting on-site interviews during the fair. Register now