HK HongKongAcademyForPerformingArts Entrance

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) is a provider of tertiary education in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

. Located near the north coast of

Wan Chai Wan Chai (Traditional Chinese characters, Chinese: 灣仔) is located in the western part of Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is bounded by Canal Road, Hong Kong, Canal Road to the east, Arsenal St ...

Hong Kong Island Hong Kong Island () is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. The island, known originally and on road signs simply as "Hong Kong", had a population of 1,289,500 and a population density of , . It is the second largest island in Hong Kon ...

, the main campus also functions as a venue for performances. Bethanie, which is the site of the institution's Landmark Heritage Campus in Pok Fu Lam, has housed the School of Film and Television since 2007. The Academy provides practice-based and professional diploma, advanced diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate studies in

Chinese opera Traditional Chinese opera (), or ''Xiqu'', is a form of musical theatre in China with roots going back to the early periods in China. It is an amalgamation of various art forms that existed in ancient China, and evolved gradually over more tha ...

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

and

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

, and

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

and

entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...

arts. Its educational policy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with an emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions and interdisciplinary learning. In the QS University Rankings announced in 2025, the Academy ranks top 20 in the Performing Arts category. Every year, the Academy enrols approximately 750 students for its full-time programmes and around 770 students for its Junior Music Programme and Gifted Young Dancer Programme. Furthermore, its extensive EXCEL (Extension and Continuing Education for Life) programme offers part-time personal enrichment courses and in-service professional training to nearly 8,000 students each year.

History

In early 1981, the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club informed Governor Murray MacLehose that it was willing to fund another project of a comparable scale to its recent major undertakings, which included the Ocean Park and the Jubilee Sports Centre. The government responded with a proposal to develop an academy for the performing arts. The Academy would complement the performing arts spaces being opened across the territory by the

Urban Council The Urban Council (UrbCo) was a municipal council in Hong Kong responsible for municipal services on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon (including New Kowloon). These services were provided by the council's executive arm, the Urban Services ...

, and provide opportunities for creative youth just as the Jubilee Sports Centre was developed to serve young sportspeople. On 15 September 1981, the Jockey Club formally announced plans to build the Academy on a piece of vacant land in Wan Chai, granted by the government, between HMS Tamar and the Hong Kong Arts Centre. The academy was established in 1984. In the early 1990s, the Academy became a degree-granting institution. The main campus was designed by local firm Simon Kwan and Associates, who were among six firms invited to submit designs in a limited competition. It comprises the Academy Block, the Theatre Block, and the Administration Block. The Administration Block was ready for occupation in July 1985. The Academy Block was formally opened on 18 September 1985 by Governor Edward Youde. The Theatre Block was opened by the Duchess of Kent on 3 February 1986, the same day the inaugural opera season began as part of the 1986 Hong Kong Arts Festival. The 1981 model produced for the architectural competition is now held by the M+ museum. In 2006 the Academy established a second campus at Béthanie in Pok Fu Lam. It mainly houses specialist facilities for the School of Film and Television. The original campus was designed for a student population of 600 students. The Academy has been facing space constraints as enrolment has gradually risen, prompting planning for campus expansion. The

334 Scheme {{Short description, Academic structure for senior secondary education and higher education in Hong Kong The 3-3-4 Scheme is the academic structure for senior secondary education and higher education in Hong Kong, referring to the structure of three ...

further exacerbated the problem. In June 2012 the Legislative Council approved funding of $444.8 million for construction of a nine-storey annex block, and other campus improvements, presently under construction. The expansion will house classrooms, studios, laboratories, music rooms, offices, workshops and support facilities. The Academy is working with the West Kowloon Cultural District on education plans and venue usage.

Governance

The Academy is governed under The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance, passed in 1984 by the Legislative Council. Under the legislation the academy is mandated to "foster and provide for training, education and research in the performing arts and related technical arts". The governing body of the institution is called the Council of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, which is responsible for appointing a director, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the academy. The Academy is funded through tuition fees as well as a subvention provided by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. This arrangement differs from most other post-secondary institutions in the territory, which are funded by the University Grants Committee. Kevin Thompson was director of the Academy from 2004 to 2012. During his tenure the institute forged international links, including arrangements with the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became ...

in New York City as well as mainland colleges, and introduced master's degrees in performing arts disciplines. Thompson also initiated planning for campus expansion. Professor Adrian Walter, was recruited in 2012. He had been the dean of music at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

since 2008.Professor Gillian Choa succeeded Professor Adrian Walter as the new Director of the Academy with effect from 1 January 2021. She is the first female Director since the establishment of the Academy in 1984. Professor Gillian Choa succeeded as the new director of the academy with effect from 1 January 2021. Professor Choa is the first female director since the establishment of the academy in 1984.

Academic units

The Academy offers academic programmes from diploma/foundation to master's degree level in six Schools: * School of Chinese Opera * School of Dance * School of Drama * School of Film and Television * School of Music * School of Theatre and Entertainment Arts

Facilities

* Lyric Theatre, with 1,181 seats. * Rita Tong Liu Drama Theatre, with 415 seats. * Concert Hall, with 382 seats. * Recital Hall, with 134–202 seats * Studio Theatre, with 120–240 seats * Béthanie Theatre at the Béthanie Campus

Notable alumni

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Academy for Performing Arts Academy for Performing Arts Academy for Performing Arts Universities and colleges in Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Performing arts education in Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Academy for Performing Arts

Design schools Educational institutions established in 1984 1984 establishments in Hong Kong Concert halls in Hong Kong Schools of Chinese opera