Annual Music & Art Events

Culture vultures will enjoy familiarising themselves with Hong Kong’s cultural calendar, with many regular annual events to look forward to throughout the year.

These include the music and arts festival Clockenflap, a three-day event that has previously hosted New Order, Sigur Ros, the Libertines, and Nile Rodgers. In addition to big-name acts, it champions local musicians and is credited with putting the city on Asia’s contemporary media arts circuit. Another reason to go is for the cool art installations, while the kids’ area will keep little ones entertained.

Reflecting the considerable number of French expats in the territory, the French May Arts Festival hosts everything from opera and classical music to contemporary dance and circus acts, with over 100 programmes presented across two months.

Art is also well represented, with the international art fair Art Basel, a cornerstone event. Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the show attracts some of the most renowned artists and galleries globally, with more than 240 attending in 2019. Another event worth checking out is Art Central, which runs alongside Art Basel Hong Kong and showcases up-and-coming Asian art talent alongside established artists globally.