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Arts, Culture and Heritage

“Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts” opens
26/05/2018

Ten years in the making, Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts finally opened its doors to the public on 29 May.

On 25 May, more than 150 guests including senior officials, community leaders and neighbours, former users, arts and culture representatives witnessed a spectacular opening ceremony at the historic site. Heralding a wide range of heritage, contemporary art and performing arts programmes, the opening ceremony featured “The History of our Future”, a spectacular light show projected on the historic Barrack Block, and “Dreamlike Horses”, a magical dance of horses created from inflatable materials.

Comprising 16 historic buildings and outdoor spaces on a 13,600-square-metre site in the heart of Central, Tai Kwun is home to three declared monuments - the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison - which have borne witness to more than 170 years of Hong Kong history. Led by The Hong Kong Jockey Club in partnership with the Hong Kong SAR Government, the revitalisation project involved the painstaking conservation of the heritage buildings in the compound and the addition of two new buildings to serve the needs of the community. The two new buildings are JC Contemporary, a gallery building with a contemporary art space, and JC Cube, an auditorium building for the performing arts, film screenings, educational events and more.

The Club took up the challenge of revitalising the Central Police Station compound because of its vision of a Hong Kong that is not only a great commercial city, but also one renowned for its cultural vibrancy - a city where people enjoy, value and participate in a diverse range of cultural activities.

This vision has inspired the conservation of the compound and its transformation into Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts, an accessible place to engage with the lessons of the past and the possibilities for the future. Visitors can learn about Tai Kwun’s judicial and law enforcement history and its many connections with the local community. They can also develop their appreciation for the arts through exhibitions and performances, education and outreach activities.  Tai Kwun will play a vital role in stimulating the arts, providing a platform for Hong Kong artists to showcase their talent and develop their creativity.

At the heart of this project has been the Club’s determination to set a new standard for heritage conservation in Hong Kong.  Drawing on the advice of experts from Hong Kong and overseas, and with input from the community, the Club has pursued a heritage-led plan to conserve the site.  Building-by-building, room-by-room, it has been returned to its former glory with the closest attention to detail.

Tai Kwun is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the Club and reflects the Club at its very best – committed to the highest standards, undeterred by the complexity of the tasks it undertakes, and above all motivated by the desire to act, as in everything it does, for the betterment of Hong Kong.

Tai Kwun spans a construction floor area of 27,900 square metrer and features two large outdoor areas – the Parade Ground and the Prison Yard – as well as a newly created semi-covered area under the auditorium. The revitalised site also provides for multiple pedestrian access points linking various parts of Central, and includes the creation of a new footbridge connecting to the Mid-Levels Escalator system.