Hong Kong to sign landmark Art Basel collaboration deal

Hong Kong will sign a five-year deal with Art Basel by the end of the month in the first such collaboration between the city’s cultural authorities and the premier fair, highlighting the link between financial investment and the development of the sector.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said on Monday the collaboration with Art Basel for the next five years was the “result of sustained investment in our role as a global financial centre, collaboration and a shared commitment to make Hong Kong a place where the arts can truly flourish”.

Law also underscored the importance of the arts during times of complex geopolitics at the International Cultural Summit hosted by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.

“We’re witnessing growing geopolitical complexity around the world,” she said. “In times like this, culture matters more than ever. Culture transcends borders, it builds understanding when all other forms of dialogue seem to fall short.”

Art Basel has held a Hong Kong edition since 2013, and in 2024 the Tourism Board sealed a three-year partnership with the international art fair, allowing it to showcase the city’s culture on a global stage.

But the five-year collaboration will be the first for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau with the premier international contemporary and modern art fair.