Art Space and the Community- “Woofer Ten” Tenancy Renewal

The sense of nativeness has been gradually growing since Hong Kong’s handover sixteen years ago. The community is concerned about the preservation of buildings imbued with historical values. Arts practitioners, through community arts, explore what “Hong Kong” means to its citizens besides economic activities. The HKSAR Government takes reference of overseas examples and “revitalizes” some old buildings by taking in tenants from the “creative industries.” Hence, the old Police Married Quarters on Hollywood Road, Central, has been refurbished as “PMQ”. Another form of revitalization is to turn the venue into exhibition space, for example the old Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is now “Oi!”. Following the trend of “revitalization” and responding to the demand of artists, ADC made an agreement with “Hip Shing Hong” and launched “ADC Arts Space Scheme”. Some from the community felt that revitalization projects of such nature had buildings refurbished at the price of severing community network. “Woofer Ten”, the organization which has been building relationship with local residents through arts by being stationed on Shanghai Street for four years, would no longer receive ADC venue subsidy and would have to move out of its current premise on December 31.