For a good start of the year, Hong Kong doesn’t disappoint with a myriad of art and cultural happenings across the city. Whether you love music festivals, cinema, photography, design or local culture, our selection of events is for you!

EVENTS IN FOCUS

BEARE’S PREMIERE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2025
#fairs & festivals #music

Since 2009, the festival brings internationally renowned musicians to Hong Kong for a series of world-class chamber music concerts. Alongside the best loved classical masterpieces, the festival also introduces new music, including commissioned works, to Hong Kong audience. This year’s festival will showcase six performances.

13 to 22 January – Hong Kong City Hall – More details here

FRINGE FESTIVAL 2025
#fairs & festivals

This vibrant and creative event features over 100 performances across diverse art forms, including classical music, jazz, contemporary pop, traditional Chinese music, theatre, dance, multimedia, film screenings, workshops, and art therapy concerts. The return of the Fringe Festival after 13 years holds significant meaning for the local arts scene.

Until 26 January – The Fringe Club – More details here

SHAKUDÕ: FROM SAMURAI ORNAMENTS TO JEWELRY
#fashion & jewellery

In celebration of the 5th anniversary of L’ECOLE Asia Pacific, this newly curated exhibition is devoted to shakudō, the black metal traditionally used in Japan for the decorative elements of samurai swords. It showcases more than 30 pieces of jewellery with European mounts adorned with shakudō elements inlaid with gold, silver and copper.

Until 13 April – L’ECOLE at K11 MUSEA – More details here

GOOD MUSIC FOR KIDS: ALASDAIR’S INTERSTELLAR ODYSSEY
#children #music

Dress up as your favourite space-themed characters and join space captain Alasdair for this music journey! Led by family concert presenter Alasdair Malloy, join Hong Kong Sinfonietta on this wildly imaginative expedition accompanied by the epic music from Star Wars, Star Trek, Super Mario Galaxy, as well as timeless classics such as Holst’s The Planets and Debussy’s Clair de Lune.

10 to 12 January – Hong Kong City Hall – More details here

M+ CINEMA WINTER EDITION 2025
#cinema

Highlights of this Winter Edition include Tilda Swinton: Between Worlds, spotlighting the influential actress’s collaborations with some of the world’s most renowned filmmakers. The weekend programme Colours of Life: A Celebration of Indian Cinema takes viewers on a journey through acclaimed classics and contemporary films. Recent local releases Remember What I Forgot (2024) and The Way We Talk(2024) capture the bonds formed within communities facing adversity. 

Until 31 March – M+ – More details here

YASUMASA MORIMURA AND CINDY SHERMAN: MASQUERADES
#photography

This is the first exhibition to bring together the photographic works of Yasumasa Morimura (Japanese, born 1951) and Cindy Sherman (American, born 1954), who rethink identity through staged photographs across time, place, and culture. Both use masquerade as an artistic strategy to explore the relationships between identity, mass media, and history.

Until 5 May – M+ – More details here

SAI KUNG HOI ARTS FESTIVAL
#fairs & festivals

The Festival features ten art installations celebrating the connections among communities on the four Sai Kung islands. In addition to the installations, the festival adds performances combining artworks with augmented reality elements. Another highlight includes the first artist from overseas, Juhyung Lee, a France-based Korean, marking his debut in Asia outside Korea.

Until 12 January – Sai Kung – More details here

MULTIVERSE – HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL POSTER TRIENNIAL
#design

This exhibition features 155 entries including 18 award-winning entries and 137 selected entries, as well as works contributed by the international judges. The show explores how the function of posters as a medium for conveying messages can be extended in an era where digital, technological, and multimedia techniques are widely used.

Until 5 May – Hong Kong Heritage Museum – More details here