The 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2026 opened today

Featuring a stellar line-up of more than 1,100 outstanding international and local artists

in more than 180 performances of over 45 programmes;

80% of tickets were already sold

(Hong Kong, 27 February 2026)

The 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) officially opened today (27 February) with a performance by the Ballet Nacional de España. This year, more than 1,100 acclaimed international and local artists will stage more than 180 performances of over 45 programmes during the month-long Festival, including six new works/world premieres, six Asia premieres and six co-productions. As of today (27 February), 80% of the over 100,000 available tickets for the performances have already been sold.

The Festival’s opening ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre with The Honourable John K.C. Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as Guest of Honour. Joining him at the officiating party were Prof. Kingman Lo, Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival; Mr Sun Shangwu, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Ms Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Ms Manda Chan, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services; and Ms Flora Yu, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival. The Festival Opening Performance was sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, and is one of three pillar programmes under “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series”.

[Photos of the opening ceremony can be downloaded here]

As always, this year’s Hong Kong Arts Festival brings together an exceptional line-up of leading international and local artists, such as conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition gold medallists Yunchan Lim and Aristo Sham, master choreographers Lin Hwai-min and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, ballet superstar Roberto Bolle, Cantonese opera veteran Yuen Siu-fai, leading Chinese dramatist Meng Jinghui, celebrated tenor Benjamin Bernheim, Jazz great Roberto Fonseca, among many others.

The Festival features numerous innovative, contemporary interpretations of classic works, such as Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin, Dance Theatre—Dream in The Peony Pavilion, Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, as well as two productions adapted from Greek tragedy and comedy—the dance theatre Antigone and Jockey Club East-meets-West Series: Aristophanes’ Lysistrata.

In addition, the Festival continues to explore diverse forms of the performing arts, including minimalist works such as Ontroerend Goed’s “no-actor” play Handle with Care, as well as artstech productions such as the Jockey Club InnoArts Series: KAGAMI by Ryuichi Sakamoto & Tin Drum, offering a stunning mixed-reality experience.

This year’s HKAF continues to bring the arts into the community through a diverse series of about 300 outreach and PLUS events. These include, among others, special events for Young Friends, and educational activities for students at primary, secondary and tertiary schools. There are also Festival “PLUS” events targeted at different sectors of the community, including exhibitions, masterclasses, workshops, backstage tours, artist talks, film screenings and guided cultural tours, enhancing the Festival experience for audience members.

Tickets to HKAF programmes can be purchased at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk | 3166 1288 | URBTIX outlets). Tickets to performances at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts are also available through Cityline (www.cityline.com | 2111 5333), while tickets for performances at the Xiqu Centre are also available through the Xiqu Centre Ticket Office.

Members of the public can visit www.hk.artsfestival.org for detailed information about the programmes as well as register for selected Festival PLUS events.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The 54th HKAF is most grateful to its many sponsors, the main ones being: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, ICBC (Asia), China Resources (Holdings) Co., Ltd., Primasia Foundation Limited, Queen’s Museum, Shun Hing Group, Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund, ROLEX, DANCE RELECTIONS BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, The D. H. Chen Foundation, and Culture Ireland; Official Airline Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, Official Outdoor Media Partner POADmedia Limited, Official Premium Car Partner Dah Chong Hong (Motor Leasing) Limited, Official Video Technology Partner Blackfoot Holdings Limited, and Major Hotel Partner Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

[Sponsors and Partners]

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ABOUT THE HONG KONG ARTS FESTIVAL

Launched in 1973, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is a major international arts festival committed to enriching the cultural life of the city. In February and March every year, the Festival presents leading local and international artists from all genres of the performing arts, giving equal importance to great traditions and contemporary creations. The Festival also commissions and produces work in theatre, music, chamber opera and contemporary dance by Hong Kong’s own creative talents and emerging artists, many of which have subsequently had successful runs in Hong Kong and overseas. Every year, the Festival also presents more than 250 “PLUS” and educational activities that offer diverse arts experiences to the community as well as tertiary, secondary and primary school students. In addition, through the “No Limits” project co-presented with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Festival strives to create an inclusive space for people of different abilities to share the joy of the arts together.

For more information about the Hong Kong Arts Festival, please visit www.hk.artsfestival.org.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

For further enquiries, please contact:

• Ms Katy Cheng (Marketing Director): (852) 2828 4930 / katy.cheng@hkaf.org

• Ms Vicki Cheng (Marketing Manager): (852) 2828 4933 / vicki.cheng@hkaf.org

• Ms Stephanie Cheung (Marketing Manager): (852) 2828 4938 / stephanie.cheung@hkaf.org

Officiating Guests at the Opening Ceremony of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival on 27 February included: (From left to right) Ms Manda Chan, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services; The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Prof Lo Kingman, Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival; The Honourable John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR; Mr Sun Shangwu, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism ; and Ms Flora Yu, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival.

The Honourable John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR joined other officiating guests and the Hong Kong Arts Festival Executive Committee Members for a group photo.

Prof Lo Kingman, Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival, gives a welcome speech.

The Honourable John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, gives a speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival.