The Future of M+ Museum and Creative Freedom in Hong Kong

Designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, Hong Kong’s global museum of visual culture M+ features 183,000 square feet of exhibition space and thirty-three galleries displaying more than 6,400 works of modern and contemporary art. The building itself, a prominent fixture on the Hong Kong skyline, can house artists’ work: its front is a monumental screen capable of showcasing commissioned digital and video art. Inside, the donation of part of Uli Sigg’s art collection, considered one of the finest collections of Chinese contemporary art, has cemented the status of the museum’s collection.

Those who follow developments in the Asian art scene will remember that the opening of the M+ Museum in 2021 was plagued by censorship controversy following the death of Ai Weiwei. Study of Perspective: Tian’anmen (1997) was withdrawn after pro-Beijing politicians claimed the work “spread hatred against China” and could violate the city’s sweeping national security law. Arguably one of the dissident artist’s most iconic, and also most critical, pieces, the work depicts Weiwei giving the finger in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, where a bloody crackdown by the People’s Liberation Army on pro-democracy protesters in 1989 left hundreds, if not thousands, dead.

But overall, the opening of the M+ Museum was ultimately successful, and was followed by blockbusters such as Yayoi Kusama’s expansive exhibition “Dots Obsession—Aspiring to Heaven’s Love,” which closed in January of this year. The M+ Museum also became the cornerstone of the ambitious development project that would become the West Kowloon Cultural District: a vibrant waterfront cultural district spanning 23 hectares of public space and home to an array of arts and entertainment venues.

After a few years, although some aspects of the project are still in progress, the district is taking shape, with excellent walking paths running through curated green spaces, dotted here and there with a range of cultural venues including the majestic Hong Kong Palace Museum, Xiqu Centre, Freespace and Art Park, plus plenty of options for drinks and dining. The long-awaited Lyric Theatre Complex is due for completion next year.

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However, a lack of funding could seriously hamper the project and ultimately the district’s revival. Betty Fung, the director of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA), told local media last summer that the Hong Kong government’s initial grant was expected to be exhausted by March 2025. Even more worryingly, the district was already facing an operating deficit of HK$718 million (US$92.1 million) for the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to a report by the South China Post. WKCDA chairman Henry Tang Ying-yen confirmed to the South China Morning Post that the group was waiting for the government to approve new funding arrangements proposed last year. If a decision is not made soon, the West Kowloon Cultural District will have to suspend contracts for future events. “The government is actively exploring solutions,” Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, secretary of the city’s department of culture, sports and tourism, told The Standard in Hong Kong in February.

Observer contacted several local arts and culture professionals on July 1, but no one contacted knew whether this major issue had been resolved. In mid-June, West Kowloon District Authority Vice Chairman Bernard Chan expressed optimism that a deal would be reached, but also said that some of the planned infrastructure projects might be put on hold to balance the books. However, on July 1, Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region Day, queues stretched for miles outside the M+ Museum, which offered free admission in honor of the celebration. The entire West Kowloon Cultural District was packed, demonstrating the local appetite for what this project has so far successfully delivered.

The precarious state of Hong Kong’s arts and culture scene

The M+ opened at a time when the Hong Kong government was making significant investments to enhance the city’s reputation as the region’s central arts hub. But since then, funding for the arts has slowly dwindled (or become harder to come by), as some gallerists and curators told Observer. China’s growing influence and control are limiting freedom of information and expression, leading to new restrictions on cultural producers, who must be increasingly careful to avoid running afoul of these controls.

The current state of Hong Kong’s arts and culture scene also raises questions about cultural funding and government control in what has long been a bastion of liberal freedoms, despite its proximity to China. “The fiscal challenges of the West Kowloon Cultural District reflect a systemic cultural funding problem, presenting an opportunity for the Hong Kong government to recalibrate its cultural stewardship,” Gilbert Choy, director of Cloud House, wrote in a letter to the South China Morning Post. “It calls for a progressive, sustainable financing model that recognises the intrinsic value of these institutions in rejuvenating Hong Kong’s status as a cosmopolitan hub.”

On the other hand, the West Kowloon Cultural District is also driven by significant commercial support. In November 2022, a 47-year tender was awarded to a subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai Properties, one of Hong Kong’s leading developers, to build and operate three office towers near the M+ and the Lyric Theatre Complex. The idea has always been to encourage private investment in the area, including in the hospitality and business sectors. “The West Kowloon Cultural District is designed to be self-financing after some large government donations,” John Lee Ka-chiu, CEO of WKCDA, told The Standard. Yeung Yun-hung said the district authority will have to determine the best operational mode to optimize resources, but also noted that some progress has already been made in resolving the financial issues, as the cultural center has achieved good results and become a popular tourist attraction.

When interviewed by Observer, several prominent Hong Kong residents were hopeful that a deal would be reached, probably with investors interested in the territory. Whether that will result in opportunities for greater independence from government control and greater freedom of content remains to be seen.