Kev-On Air EP3 | Chloe Suen: Arts and culture crucial to sustainable development of HK society

As an international metropolis where Eastern and Western civilizations converge, Hong Kong possesses a formidable cultural and artistic development. Within this vibrant city, a group of individuals is dedicated to promoting the importance of culture and arts to the public.

Our guest today is Dr. Chloe Suen, the founder of Sun Museum and the Chair of the Simon Suen Foundation. She fervently supports philanthropy and is a trailblazing figure in cultivating HK's next generation of local artists and performers.

The Simon Suen Foundation was founded 11 years ago. To promote this Foundation, Dr. Suen encountered many difficulties. Reflecting on those early days, Dr. Suen recalls, "There were just a few persons involved in this attempt at that time. Hong Kong has a rich history of philanthropy, particularly in healthcare and education. However, the significance of cultural arts in the continuous development of society was not widely recognized. We wanted to ensure that our citizens in HK would pay attention to our roots and the valuable aspects of our culture."

The Simon Suen Foundation has made great strides toward its mission since its establishment by supporting diverse projects related to Chinese arts and culture. Specifically, in 2015, Dr. Suen put the Foundation's philosophy into practice by founding Sun Museum, one of the few non-profit, privately funded art museums in Hong Kong open to the public for free. "So the value of the work that I'm doing and my family is doing is really just out of the belief that we need to help our society, we need to give back to our society," Dr. Suen explains.

Since its founding, the Sun Museum has staged more than 50 exhibitions under Dr. Suen's direction, garnering praise from the general public for its cutting-edge curatorial ideas and distinctive cultural and creative endeavors.

Dr. Suen is also concerned about the growth of HK's youth. She highlights that HK has quite a "protective" culture, under which the younger generation may be discouraged from stepping out of their comfort zones. “I have noticed that we really need to create more space for children, for the youth to have the courage to try,” she says.

How can arts and culture influence people's lives? What is Hong Kong's current arts and culture ecosystem like? How might Chinese culture be effectively promoted in the city? And what pearls of knowledge might Dr. Suen impart to HK's young people? Watch the video now to find out!