Good afternoon, everyone.

Betty (Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of WKCDA), Consul General Jurčová (Klára JURČOVÁ, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Hong Kong), Mrs Susanna Chan (donor), distinguished guests, artists, curators and friends, it is a pleasure to join you this afternoon at Ma Wan 1868. 

First, congratulations to the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and WestK Academy on the opening of the WestK Artist-in-Residence Pilot Programme’s inaugural exhibition. We are delighted to host this pilot programme at Ma Wan 1868, which is a meaningful endorsement of the island’s distinct appeal. 

This initiative perfectly reflects our broader commitment to placemaking – blending culture, tourism and commerce to create vibrant destinations that benefit the community and contribute to Hong Kong’s development as an international art and cultural hub.

Ma Wan Park is a public-private partnership between the Hong Kong government and Sun Hung Kai Properties and one of the Group’s key ESG initiatives. It provides open spaces for recreation, cultural conservation, education and charitable causes.  We do this not for profit but as our commitment to Hong Kong.  Any surplus made would all be reinvested back to maintaining and enhancing the park. As the Park’s second phase, Ma Wan 1868 carries that mission forward by revitalizing old village houses into a cultural and arts village featuring creative studios, workshops, art retail and dining. 

The name Ma Wan 1868 reflects the island’s rich history and cultural heritage. For centuries, Ma Wan Island served as a key node on the Maritime Silk Road, facilitating trade between the Pearl River Delta with Southeast Asia, South Asia and beyond. In 1868, the then Qing government established a customs station here, inspecting merchant ships and collecting duties on goods leaving Hong Kong. Just a short walk from here, visitors can find two Grade III historic stone tablets of the Old Kowloon Customs, marking the establishment of the customs station. Nearby is a Tin Hau Temple, which is more than 160 years old and has been carefully restored as part of our commitment to preserving local heritage. The name Ma Wan 1868 is our way of keeping this remarkable history alive, celebrating the island’s longstanding role as a place of connection, exchange and cultural encounter.

It is therefore especially fitting that this island now welcomes artists from different backgrounds and different countries to live, create and exchange ideas. Over the past eight weeks, we have been delighted to host the AIR programme’s inaugural cohort of 11 artists, providing six studios and an exhibition hall entirely free of charge. This has allowed them to immerse themselves fully in their craft, drawing inspiration from the rich heritage and beautiful natural landscape of Ma Wan. 

Today’s exhibition is another expression of the longstanding collaboration between SHKP and the WKCD Authority. This partnership is also evident in West Kowloon, where we are working together to shape what is increasingly known as Hong Kong’s “Central 2.0”. Among these efforts is the Artist Square Towers, or AST, a project awarded to us by the Authority and scheduled for completion next year.

Just as West Kowloon thrives on the exchange of culture and business, Ma Wan 1868 mirrors that same ethos on a more intimate, community-focused scale. By celebrating heritage and transforming this island into an arts destination, Ma Wan 1868 puts into practice the Government’s vision of making good use of our coastal and island resources. It offers an inspiring setting for cultural dialogue which echoes the government’s vision that “tourism is everywhere”.

We look forward to continuing this journey with the WKCD Authority and exploring new ways to support creative talent in Hong Kong. We are grateful to have played a part in this inaugural programme and look forward to the many creative journeys ahead of us. 

I wish you all a wonderful afternoon. Thank you.