Winsome CHOW
Ms Winsome CHOW
Honorary University Fellow (2024)
Ms Winsome Chow, a shining beacon in Hong Kong’s arts and cultural sector, boasted a vibrant and illustrious career filled with stellar accomplishments. She often says, “I did not choose the arts industry, it chose me.” This statement aptly summarises her deep involvement with the arts.
Ms Chow’s active involvement in choirs, dancing and drama throughout her school and university years sparked her passion for the performing arts. After graduation, she was encouraged by a friend to join the government as an arts administrator. She began her career with a house and stage management role at the Hong Kong City Hall – a challenging position as she only knew a little about stage lighting and stage technical operation at the time. With the support from her counterpart at the Hong Kong Arts Centre and her exceptional learning ability and enthusiasm, she swiftly mastered stage management and became a competent venue manager.
With her steadfast commitment to excellence, Ms Chow continued to thrive in various positions during her tenure at the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) of the HKSAR Government (and former Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department). The opening of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre was a high point in her creative journey, following which she founded several arts festivals in Hong Kong, including the New Vision Arts Festival, the World Cultures Festival and the International Arts Carnival, further energising the cultural exchange between East and West. As the Assistant Director (Performing Arts) of the LCSD, Ms Chow managed 14 performing arts venues and oversaw the operation of performing arts programmes and celebration events.
Since becoming the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) in 2015, Ms Chow strategically revamped the Council’s long-standing grant schemes and launched a new matching grant scheme to encourage arts groups to seek support from private donors and the commercial sector. She also established a rigorous review mechanism to ensure the effective use of funds. Passionate about promoting cultural exchange, she led delegations of artists to various international expos, cultural festivals, and arts fairs in the Mainland, Australia, Canada, Germany, UK and Korea for exchange, exhibitions and performances.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the livelihood of many freelance artists in Hong Kong was severely impacted. In response to this, Ms Chow set up the “Support Scheme for the Arts and Cultural Sector”, as entrusted by the Government, to provide timely relief for those affected. She expressed her gratitude to the colleagues at HKADC for their instrumental support in swiftly processing the vast amount of applications, alleviating the urgent needs of freelance artists.
The emergence of the internet and information technologies has prompted Ms Chow to spearhead cross-sector collaboration in order to encourage sustainable growth of the creative and art sectors. She initiated the “Arts Go Digital Platform Scheme” during the pandemic – a pioneering virtual platform for arts and cultural activities. With the support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, it funded 68 relevant projects, including a notable idea on neon signs which is considered a cultural heritage for Hong Kong and a theme being covered by an exhibition at the M+ museum. The innovative digital arts platform has transcended traditional frameworks of art presentation, education and promotion, no longer confined to theatres, auditoria and exhibition galleries, and has started a new chapter for artistic activities.
Having devoted many years to arts administration, Ms Chow understands the importance of nurturing talent. She has formulated with the HKSAR Government to provide a range of new funding schemes to target recent graduates from local institutions, as well as a skills matching platform to bridge the gap between renowned artists and the young talents. She also believes that the grooming of the next generation of arts administrators, producers and practitioners is equally important to ensuring the local arts sector continues to thrive and flourish.
Being bestowed the Honorary University Fellowship, Ms Chow cherishes the recognition of her unwavering efforts at the HKADC over the past decade. As a member of the Governing Board of the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, which is a subsidiary of Hong Kong Baptist University, she looks forward to further collaboration with the University to realise its vision of nurturing the next generation of creative talents, making even greater contributions to the development of the local arts and cultural community. Currently, she is also a member of the Government’s Advisory Committee on Arts Development, Performing Arts Committee of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and Advisory Committee of The Jockey Club CPS Limited (Tai Kwun).
Ms Chow’s contributions to the arts over the years helped revitalise Hong Kong’s artistic landscape, and her exceptional talents have garnered international acclaim. In 2022, she was honoured with the “International Citation of Merit” by the International Society for the Performing Arts in recognition of her dynamic impact on Hong Kong’s arts and cultural sector and her outstanding accomplishments. The name Ms Winsome Chow will forever be a cornerstone of the remarkable achievements of Hong Kong’s arts and culture.