“I’m working to raise awareness of the artistic talents in Hong Kong,” says Professor Louis Nixon, Director of the HKBU Academy of Visual Arts.

The HKBU Academy of Visual Arts (AVA) BA Graduation Exhibition 2019 featured a Pavilion from the University of the Arts London (UAL) at its Kaitak campus, which was previously a Royal Air Force officers’ mess building before it was labelled a Grade I listed heritage building in Hong Kong.

Several thousand visitors attended the Exhibition, which showcased the art works of 128 young artists – doubled the number when the AVA started in the 2000s. Professor Nixon has also planned to turn the collaboration with UAL into an annual commission.

Alongside upgrading the AVA’s galleries, he offers residencies and fellowships to artists and academics from around the world, who will then be ambassadors for the school on their return home.

“Internationalisation is a big project for HKBU,” says Professor Nixon, who has been able to broaden his own artistic horizons by travelling to Japan, South Korea, mainland China and Southeast Asia to cast a critical eye over burgeoning talent. “In Hong Kong, we are never far away from anyone.”