An arty partnership

If you’re flying into Hong Kong in March, you’ll notice the city has come alive with creativity. From international art fairs to local affairs, Art Month is officially in full swing – and people are travelling from all over the world to take part. “Hong Kong has always been a city full of inspiration, and this vibrant and unique spirit is what sets the city apart,” says Ronald Lam, Chief Executive Officer of the Cathay Pacific Group. “As a premium travel lifestyle brand rooted in Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific wants to elevate that essence and move people forward in life by constantly providing fresh inspiration to our city.”

We’re dedicated to deepening our contribution to Hong Kong – and fostering the city’s arts and culture industry is a big part of that.

That’s why we’ve entered a three-year partnership with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA), the world-class cultural hub at city’s heart. As the exclusive travel partner of WKCDA, we transport precious artwork, fly local and international artists to and from Hong Kong, and promote exhibitions to Cathay Pacific's Cathay members around the world.

Cathay Pacific Cargo has already transported many of the artworks on display at M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, including key exhibitions like last year’s Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now, the artist’s largest retrospective in Asia outside of Japan and Madame Song: Pioneering Art and Fashion in China (running until 14 April), the special exhibition that also marked the start of the three-year partnership between Cathay Pacific and the WKCDA.

Since the launch of the partnership, Cathay Pacific has also supported the Sigg Prize 2023 exhibition, Freespace Jazz Fest 2023 and, most recently, the inaugural WestK FunFest (16 March–7 April), an inclusive arts festival held around the Art Park, Freespace and the Xiqu Centre. The festival features a stunning line-up of arts programmes, including the award-winning immersive art installation Ephemeral by Sydney-based design studio Atelier Sisu.

While flying in exhibits and artists is a key part of the sponsorship, it goes further than that. “Behind the scenes, we’re organising the logistics,” says Edward Bell, General Manager of Brand, Insights and Marketing Communications at Cathay Pacific. “But for the customer, it’s really about partnering with the WKCDA to help spread the word and help make it happen – to bring people in and, when the exhibition is complete in Hong Kong, to enable those exhibits to do a tour of the world.”

On a larger scale, the partnership is designed to solidify Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets- West centre for international cultural exchange – and, in turn, give a significant boost to the city’s cultural tourism.

“In becoming the exclusive travel partner of the WKCDA, Cathay Pacific is demonstrating its enduring belief in and encouragement of Hong Kong’s arts and culture, and its vision and mission to foster the artistic, cultural and creative industries,” says Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the WKCDA. “We are grateful for Cathay Pacific’s generous support, which will greatly assist our efforts to promote arts and culture in Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas.”

At its core, the partnership comes back to art, and the importance it holds for us all – during Art Month in Hong Kong and beyond. “This exclusive partnership is about supporting art and connecting Cathay Pacific's Cathay members with art,” says Bell. “But beyond that, it’s about what art means to Hong Kong, Asia and the world. Art is important, and that’s why we’re involved."