Organizers: Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture (HKICC)
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London (ICA)
Co-organizer: Zuni Icosahedron
CREATIVE CITIES is initiated by HKICC and ICA with the belief that London and Hong Kong are cities demonstrating varied degrees of success of creative industries. There are real success stories in both cities and it is a key element in today’s knowledge economy. The organizers have now invited some 20 or so Hong Kong and London outstanding cultural entrepreneurs to participate in this exchange project. The main programme at ICA’s “Creative Cities: Hong Kong in London” will be for the 9 Hong Kong cultural entrepreneurs (i.e. Crazysmile, CTCWM Advertising Firm, Deepred Design, GOD, Here, IdN, Kan and Lau Design Consultants, People Mountain People Sea/Poo Records, Shya-la-la) to present their enterprise and to analyse the development of their business. At the same time, two of the Hong Kong’s music industry representatives People Mountain People Sea/Poo Records will give musical performances.
With the generous support from the Li Ka-shing Foundation, the organizers have been able to organize the project with least difficulties. They find the keen support very encouraging.
The significance of creative industries to a country’s wealth is now more readily recognized in a knowledge economy. The creative industries have moved from the fringes to the mainstream in both London and Hong Kong. All these could not have happened without a great deal of effort by a large number of people in the creative industries, government and arts and culture sector. For this exchange project, it is intended to create a platform for such people, the young and established cultural entrepreneurs in particular, of the two cities to meet and share their experience and expertise in developing their enterprises in the creative industries that are founded on original creativity.
The ultimate goal is to forge a new kind of sustained relationship between London and Hong Kong and to explore the potential of long-term collaboration between London and Hong Kong and possibly cities close to these two cities for developing city-to-city creative economy.
10 Oct 2002