West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Appoints Kung Chi-shing as Head of Contemporary Performance, Performing Arts

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA, or the Authority) announces today the appointment of Kung Chi-shing as Head of Contemporary Performance, Performing Arts with effect from 3 October 2022.

A veteran composer, performer and music promoter in the Hong Kong arts scene, Mr Kung brings with him extensive experience in performing arts administration and curation. He studied classical music and composition in the United States in the 1970s and taught at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts after returning to Hong Kong. In 1987, he co-founded the music ensemble, “The Box”, focusing on experimentation with pop, classical and improvisational music, as well as theatre art. As a solo artist, Mr Kung engaged in frequent cross-disciplinary collaborations with choreographers, theatre directors and performing artists, and has performed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Cuba, Tashkent, New York, London, Berlin and Venice.

Mr Kung is a strong advocate and supporter for local music development, dedicated himself to nurturing music talent and building new audiences. He became Artistic Associate (Music) of WKCDA in 2015 and has since been responsible for developing a range of popular and innovative programmes, including the popular Freespace Fest, Freespace Happening and Freespace Jazz Fest. In his new role as Head of Contemporary Performance, Performing Arts, Mr Kung will be responsible for steering and coordinating contemporary performance development in West Kowloon Cultural District (the District) covering dance, music and theatre programmes, and formulating the development strategy for contemporary performing arts in line with the WKCDA’s mission to help elevate Hong Kong as an East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange.

Paul Tam, Executive Director, Performing Arts of WKCDA, said, “Mr Kung is a highly experienced and esteemed figure in the Hong Kong arts world with a broad artistic vision. He has dedicated himself to promoting young artists and popularising the performing arts for many years. We are very pleased to have Mr Kung taking up this role and are confident that he will lead the Contemporary Performance team to mark a new chapter for the Performing Arts Division and the District.”

“At the same time, the Authority would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to Ms Karen Cheung, who has been acting Head of Contemporary Performance since April this year, for her valuable contribution in curating outstanding dance seasons for the District in the past three and a half years. We wish her the very best in her future endeavour.”

Commenting on his appointment as Head of Contemporary Performance, Performing Arts of WKCDA, Kung Chi-shing said, “With the great support of the various talented teams with whom I have worked in the District over these past seven years, I have been able to create new platforms for both local and international performing arts talents, and to provide a wide range of dynamic performing arts experiences to the public. I am honoured to take up this new role and look forward to working closely with the dedicated and passionate arts professionals of WKCDA to curate more exciting contemporary performing arts programmes for our audiences.”

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About the West Kowloon Cultural District
The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on forty hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces, and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, providing 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.