A Breakthrough in Disability Theatre in Hong Kong—On The Path Together

The year 1986 was an important year in the arts—it marked the launch of the inaugural Hong Kong Festival of Arts with the Disabled, and the establishment of the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong (ADAHK). More than three decades have passed since. Disability arts have come a long way in this city. While they were once perceived as a kind of social welfare activity in the early years, over time they have received positive attention in mainstream arts circles. The ADAHK was recognised for its artistic achievement when it garnered the status of being financially supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC). The association went on to win accolades at the annual HKADC’s Hong Kong Arts Development Awards, including a Bronze prize and a Gold prize in Award for Arts Education in 2009 and 2012 respectively, and a Bronze prize in the Award for Arts Promotion in 2012. There have also been many notable efforts from other organisations striving and thriving along this path. They include productions by the Hong Kong Theatre of the Deaf and the Theatre of the Silence, featuring artists with hearing impairments; and Waiting for Ming Kwong performed by actors with visual impairments. Other impressive productions have included Concert in the Dark, and the experiential exhibition Dialogue in the Dark, which opened in 2010. The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (predecessor of the Food and Health Bureau) of the HKSAR Government and the ADAHK co-presented the International Festival of Inclusive Arts in 2006. The wheelchair dance at the 2007 Congress of the International Drama/Theatre and Education Association in Hong Kong received wide acclaim. Established in 2011, the GIA theatre (Glow in Art) has presented an array of theatrical productions featuring performers both with and without disabilities. The Nonsensemakers launched The Hand in Hand Capable Theatre, which has been active in staging inclusive performances in recent years. Its production, The Rainbow Troops, was one of the programmes of the 2017 Jockey Club Hand in Hand Capable Theatre IncluDrama Project. These developments reflect growing recognition of the arts as a means for overcoming barriers and achieving (or at least striving for) social inclusion. We seek to experience the differences between people from diverse perspectives and reflect on the meaning of “handicap” at a deeper level—the emotional handicap of those who discriminate against others may be the worst handicap of all. All this fosters our understanding of and respect for “the other”, inspiring us to work together to build a better society.