Art has the power to bring people together – to inspire, comfort, share, unite and connect. These are all things that matter more than ever during this difficult time. While all of us have felt the effects of this global pandemic, artists and art institutions across the world have been out of employment and income for months.

And yet art and creativity has still been flourishing. It has spread hope and made us more resilient. There are artists donating their talents to show their support and love for those on the frontline and neighbours in lockdown have sang to each other from their balconies and rooftops. Art has been used in creative ways to share and spread health guidelines and even GIFs and stickers to connect us and remind us all that we’re in this together.

Twenty years ago, the Hong Kong Art School (HKAS) was established as the education arm of the Hong Kong Arts Centre, which has always believed in the integral part art plays in life. All of our professional and formal Fine Art degrees are offered in parallel with art enrichment programmes to highlight how art operates in the everyday ‘real world’ setting.

In these twenty years, we have nurtured some of Hong Kong’s best art talent and helped to foster a greater appreciation of art within the general public of Hong Kong which in turn has inspired many young people to believe that they can pursue a career and life through art.

I commend the dedication and hard-work of the generations of School Directors, we have been lucky to have at HKAS. It is no easy task to run a self-financed art education institution in Hong Kong, yet their passion and determination have truly allowed us to fulfil our mandate. For this I would like to thank our current Acting School Director, Mr. Kurt CHAN, who has brought the School to a new level. His dual role as both a renowned artist and art educator enables him to bring new insight to HKAS along with a brand-new Professional Art Studies series which further emphasises the connectedness of art within all walks of life.

It is truly my honour to be able to serve this unique institution and I hereby express my most heartfelt thanks to our loyal HKAS team for their contributions. HKAS is Hong Kong’s only self-financed art school and now more than ever we need the continued support from the Hong Kong society to carry on with this meaningful venture. I believe that in the next twenty years, HKAS will make even greater contributions to Hong Kong.

藝術有一種力量能夠將人們凝聚在一起──激發靈感、慰藉人心、分享成果、團結和聯繫。在如今艱難時期，這一切更見重要。我們都感受到這場瘟疫的影響，而世界各地的藝術家和藝術機構亦同時在生計和營運方面都受到嚴重的打擊。

即使如此，藝術和創造力依然發展蓬勃，不斷散播希望，使我們越戰越强。一些藝術家慷慨獻技，向前綫工作人員表示支持，一些被居家令所限的市民則在陽台和屋頂與鄰居互相獻唱。藝術亦被廣泛使用於創作中，由健康指引至動態圖和貼圖，凡此種種也讓大衆知道我們並不孤單。

二十年前，香港藝術學院作爲香港藝術中心的附屬教育機構正式成立。中心堅信藝術是生活中不可或缺的一部分。爲此學院提供的所有專業和正式的藝術學位課程，都重點強調藝術如何在日常「現實世界」中運作。

二十年間，我們培養了一群香港最優秀的藝術人才，並致力提升大衆的藝術欣賞水平，這一來激發了許多年輕人相信他們可以通過藝術追求理想職業和生活。

我想借此機會讚揚過往至今的學院管理層，感謝他們對香港藝術學院的奉獻和努力。在香港經營一個自負盈虧的藝術教育機構並非易事，然而他們的熱情和決心讓一切變得可行。為此我要感謝我們的現任署理院長陳育強教授，他將學院的發展帶到另一層面。他在藝術創作和藝術教育界別的雙重身份有助於為學院注入新的元素，正如學院全新的藝術專業進修課程，它進一步強調藝術在各行各業之間的聯繫。

能夠爲這間獨特的機構效力，我深感榮幸。在此，我衷心感謝香港藝術學院全體職員的貢獻。 香港藝術學院是香港唯一一所自負盈虧的藝術教育機構，現在我們比以往任何時候都更需要香港社會持續的支持，讓學院能夠持續發展。我相信在未來二十年，香港藝術學院會為香港作出更大的貢獻。