Abstract

Hong Kong has one of the world’s highest life expectancies, alongside an expanding ageing population and declining birth rates. In recent years, there is a growing emphasis on active ageing, including encouraging senior participation in the arts. This paper introduces an innovative open-access toolkit developed by the Division of Cultural Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong between 2022 and 2024, aimed at bridging the gap between seniors and the arts. This toolkit is an outcome of several realities in Hong Kong. First, many seniors have limited exposure or understanding of the arts. This is the result of restricted access or opportunities in their earlier years. Next, many seniors in the city perceive the arts as exclusive, where only certain individuals or social classes can engage in artistic activities. The toolkit is inspired by Pang Laikwan’s perspective that the true value of art lies in its meaningfulness to both creators and participants. It emphasises that genuine participation in art should maintain art as a democratic and inclusive field, distinctly separate from being a form of indoctrination. Pang also recognises that participants bring their unique social and material conditions into the collective art-making process, allowing for a convergence of diverse experiences and backgrounds. The toolkit comprises four components, each carefully designed to encourage art participation and shape collective intersubjectivity among seniors.

Presenters

Kok Wai Benny Lim
Associate Professor of Practice in Cultural Management, Division of Cultural Studies/ Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Social and Cultural Perspectives on Aging

KEYWORDS

Art and Ageing, Intersubjectivity, Artistic Inclusivity and Participation, Toolkit

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