Hong Kong has long been regarded as a major arts hub, drawing culture vultures from across the globe. Today, its creative scene continues to thrive, with new openings galore and a jam-packed cultural calendar for 2024.

Whether you’re seeking glitzy exhibitions in big-name museums or prefer smaller, more intimate productions and vibrant street art, here are eight ways to get a dose of culture on your next trip to the city that never sleeps.

1. DELVE INTO A WORLD OF MUSIC, THEATRE AND DANCE

After a three-year hiatus, the renowned Hong Kong Arts Festival made its return on Feb 22 and will run till Mar 24, 2024. Themed Years in Bloom, this year’s edition features more than 1,400 local and international artists staging performances ranging from theatre to dance. Highlights include Tempest Project, a creative reimagining of the Shakespearean classic by acclaimed British theatre director Peter Brook, and The Promise, a one-woman musical cabaret starring Dutch singer-songwriter Wende. The festival will wrap up in style with A Sigh of Love by the Shanghai Ballet, an evocative tale of passion and regret. Don’t leave the city without catching a Cantonese opera performance — this centuries-old art form combines singing, dancing, acting and acrobatic feats, along with highly elaborate costumes and backdrops.

2. BROWSE THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR IN HONG KONG

One of the most prestigious art exhibitions in Asia, Art Basel Hong Kong will take place from Mar 28 to 30, 2024 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. The fair promises to be bigger and better than ever this year: Already, 243 top galleries from across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa have confirmed their participation, marking a 37 per cent increase from 2023.

As with previous editions, there will be a major focus on Asia Pacific’s diverse art scene, with more than half of all exhibitors operating spaces in the region. These include notable names such as Station from Australia, Fox/Jensen from New Zealand and Experimenter from India.

If you’re still craving more art experiences, don’t miss Art Central. Taking place along the city’s iconic Central Harbourfront from Mar 28 to 31, the festival will present an impressive array of artwork and programming from many of Asia’s top galleries.

3. SPEND AN AFTERNOON LEARNING ABOUT VISUAL CULTURE

As one of the world’s largest museums dedicated to modern and contemporary visual culture, M+ in the West Kowloon Cultural District should figure on every art lover’s itinerary. Here, you’ll find a wide range of exhibits bringing together design, architecture, moving images and visual art from Hong Kong, Asia and beyond.

Be sure to check out the extensive M+ Sigg Collection, which chronicles the development of Chinese art over four decades — from the end of the Cultural Revolution through China’s economic reforms in the 1980s and globalisation in the 2000s. You can also look forward to temporary exhibitions such as Madame Song: Pioneering Art and Fashion in China (now till Apr 14, 2024), which spotlights the life and works of pop culture icon Song Huai-Kuei, and Noir & Blanc: A Story of Photography (opening March 2024), which showcases images from acclaimed shutterbugs like Diane Arbus, Daido Moriyama and Man Ray.

After exploring all that M+ has to offer, those with little ones in tow should make their way over to the inaugural WestK FunFest (Mar 16 to Apr 7), which will take place at various venues across the West Kowloon Cultural District, including Freespace and the Xiqu Centre. Visitors will discover plenty of family-oriented art installations, performances, dance parties and interactive workshops.

If you find yourself in the city from Mar 22 to 24, don’t miss the opportunity to experience ComplexCon. Originating from the United States, this groundbreaking festival is making its debut in Asia, offering a joyous celebration of art, music, pop culture, food and sports.

4. CHECK OUT HONG KONG’S BEST ART GALLERIES

Planning to spend a day gallery-hopping? You’ll find no shortage of top-notch venues across the city. Start at Blindspot Gallery in the artsy district of Wong Chuk Hang, which focuses on contemporary photography and celebrates both emerging and established local artists. A stone’s throw away is de Sarthe Gallery, which showcases the works of boundary-pushing creatives across the globe, including Beijing-based Zhong Wei and Mak2, one of Hong Kong’s most popular millennial artists.

Other must-visit spots include Empty Gallery in Aberdeen, where thought-provoking artworks are juxtaposed against jet-black walls, and Blue Lotus Gallery in Sheung Wan, which explores Hong Kong’s identity and culture through a stellar selection of photo art.

5. EXPLORE A THRIVING ARTS AND HERITAGE COMPLEX

Housed across 16 historic sites — including the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison — Tai Kwun is one of Hong Kong’s biggest and most exciting creative hubs. Here, visitors can join an organised tour to learn more about the complex’s carefully restored heritage architecture, enjoy music and theatre performances, attend film screenings and much more. The complex also hosts rotating exhibitions, such as Green Snake: Woman-Centred Ecologies (now till Apr 1, 2024), which draws on female-centric mythologies to explore the intricate relationship between art and nature.

6. ADMIRE THE HANDIWORK OF LOCAL ARTISANS

Once the site of the Police Married Headquarters, PMQ is now a mixed-use arts and design venue in Central. It’s home to many homegrown brands, making it the ideal place to experience Hong Kong’s artisan culture.

While away an afternoon discovering its numerous design studios and workshops, where you can pick up handicrafts, apparel and accessories. Top picks include Tove & Libra for sustainable fashion, Glue Associates for quirky lifestyle goods and Shoe Artistry for bespoke leather footwear. For a hands-on activity, head to Oscary Art, where you can unleash your creativity at an art jamming workshop.

7. ENJOY OUTDOOR ART WITH A SIDE OF GLORIOUS HARBOUR VIEWS

From Mar 25 to Jun 2, Hong Kong’s waterfront promenade will come alive with multiple outdoor installations thanks to Art@Harbour 2024 — the brainchild of government agency Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), international art collective teamLab and a host of local artists. Headline attractions will include the teamLab: Continuous exhibition, featuring hundreds of luminous ovoids that continuously change colour and sound in response to visitors’ interactions. Local artists LAAB Architects and Dylan Kwok will also create two immersive art installations, Harbour Cup and Schrödinger’s Bed, which explore the properties of light.

8. SNAP PHOTOS OF COLOURFUL STREET ART

Visit Hong Kong today and you’ll notice that many of the city’s streets have been enlivened by colourful murals courtesy of talented artists. On New Street in Sheung Wan, Czech artist Mara Cmara has adorned two walls with bunnies and peonies, the latter of which symbolise wealth and prosperity. Head over to Art Lane in Sai Ying Pun, located outside Exit B3 of Sai Ying Pun MTR station, to witness a transformation of several buildings and alleyways by nine local and international artists. And starting Mar 21, visit Harbour City and marvel at the vividly-hued, larger-than-life art installations by French artist Camille Walala.