Summer Art Cadets
The Summer Art Cadets programme, supporting underprivileged children from the diverse spectrum of Hong Kong society, was initiated in 2008 by Friends of Hong Kong Museum of Art in collaboration with the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Every summer, a unique programme is designed to encourage children to explore creative art-making through workshop training, museum visits, and art appreciation activities. At the conclusion of the programme, a graduation ceremony is held to recognise their participation and celebrate their achievements in the presence of parents, teachers and organisers.
Over the years, the programme has benefitted the visually impaired, minority groups, and children under the aegis of Youth Outreach.
The Summer Art Cadets programme is jointly funded by the Zhilan Foundation and the Friends of Hong Kong Museum of Art Trust.
Already in its eleventh year, we are partnering with the Children’s Cancer Foundation to present a programme titled ‘Art Switch’. We hope to help young cancer survivors reconnect with the community through arts and crafts. The workshops took place from mid-July to late August. A graduation ceremony was held on Sunday, August 26 at the Museum of History.
This programme was jointly organised by HKMA Friends, the Museum, and Youth Outreach, an NGO which reaches out to teenagers who have left their homes.
Through ‘Art & Learning’, positive thinking was cultivated into these young minds. Participants learned graffiti art from a practicing artist in this medium. They also learned hip-hop dancing. They decorated public staircases with graffiti art at the Hong Kong Coliseum and Tai Po Park. Both these artworks were inaugurated as part of the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Handover of Sovereignty of Hong Kong.
HKMA Friends, together with the Hong Kong Open Printshop, co-organised a series of workshops for primary students. A 10-day intensive programme was supplemented with visits to the Botanical Garden and exhibitions. Students learned about different techniques to create artworks with paper, and also gained appreciation for plants and uses of fibre.
Partnering once again with SCAD HK, teenagers learned computer game design. Through an intensive computer course and appreciation activities, the students were introduced to the world of professional computer game design and development, resulting in a variety of imaginative games for youngsters and their families.
HKMA Friends collaborated with SCAD HK on a two-week animation workshop for secondary students. Participants learned to use professional animation software, and explored ways to combine different elements of multimedia and 3D digital imaging. As part of the programme, they also visited the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Heritage Museum for inspiration. As a final project, the students produced a delightful animated virtual tour featuring selected landmarks and attractions in Hong Kong.
Again, in conjunction with C & G Artpartment, HKMA Friends offered a 10-day intensive programme for ethnic minority students at the Museum. The group visited exhibitions and engaged in drawing, papier-mache making, kite construction, and paper casting.
With our Museum staff and C & G Artpartment, HKMA Friends offered a two-week programme for visually impaired students, aged 8-16. Through the specially designed art workshops, which included a touching-art tour, relief drawing, sound art, performance art and assemblage sculpture-making, they were able to explore, create, and experience the joy of art.