As WestK prepares to host AAPPAC 2026, the gathering of close to 30 Asia-Pacific arts leaders offers insight into the ambitions shaping Hong Kong’s performing arts community
Set on the Victoria Harbour waterfront, the West Kowloon Cultural District, known as WestK, has established itself as one of the largest world-c lass cultural hubs. Drawing over 17 million visitors in 2025, the district is celebrated globally for its iconic visual arts landmarks, including M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Alongside these world-class museums, WestK Performing Arts stands as a core pillar of WestK, offering a vibrant array of dance, music, theatre and Chinese opera that enriches Hong Kong’s cultural landscape.
This October, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) will host the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC) 2026 Hong Kong Conference. This event will bring together close to 30 performing arts leaders, positioning WestK and Hong Kong at the centre of international performing arts dialogue.
At the heart of WestK Performing Arts is a bold vision to establish the district as one of the leading performing arts destinations and trendsetters in Asia and beyond. Through major festivals and original commissions, WestK Performing Arts presents innovative programmes across multiple genres and cross-cultural, interdisciplinary collaborations that drive artistic advancement for the city and the wider region. The aim is to build WestK Theatre Hub, bringing together a broad spectrum of performing arts practices and solidifying the city’s role as one of the world’s most vibrant and forward-looking cultural hubs.
This ambitious vision is supported by a robust physical infrastructure that forms a holistic and dynamic theatre ecosystem. The district’s existing venues cater to a diverse range of artistic expressions.
Opened in 2019, the Xiqu Centre demonstrates how modern infrastructure can serve a living tradition. It supports the conservation, promotion and development of Cantonese opera and other regional forms of xiqu, or traditional Chinese theatre.
Alongside performances, its work includes training, research, education and the creation of new repertory. Its Grand Theatre is suspended 27 metres above ground, leaving a naturally ventilated public atrium for free concerts, stalls and xiqu demonstrations.
Freespace, located at the heart of the Art Park, is the city’s centre for contemporary, experimental performances and encourages interdisciplinary collaborations. Its main performance space,
The Box, is the city’s largest black box theatre, accommodating approximately 450 seated or 900 standing spectators, while smaller spaces support rehearsals, workshops and work-in-progress presentations.2026 marks a historic milestone for the AAPPAC and WKCDA, with the association’s 30th anniversary coinciding with WKCDA’s inaugural hosting of the AAPPAC Annual Conference. The upcoming AAPPAC Conference will give delegates an opportunity to experience this dynamic development first-hand, explore WestK’s venues, meet Hong Kong artists and envision future collaborations. With the opening of the WestK Performing Arts Centre (WestK PAC) in 2027, even more opportunities will be created for artists and partnerships to grow and thrive.