The Hong Kong Prize is one of the most prestigious prizes in Asia. It honors people who have accomplished incredible things and made an impact on life in Hong Kong and beyond. Winners receive monetary awards, and can also attend seminars or research internships at universities and laboratories in Hong Kong, where they can meet leading scientists from around the world and learn about cutting-edge scientific research conducted in Hong Kong.
The prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Hong Kong. Applicants must be nominated by their teachers. Teachers can nominate up to 10 students. The entries are reviewed and scored by a panel of judges. Shortlisted students will receive a certificate and trophy. The top student artist will be awarded a judge’s prize of HK$8,000, and their teacher will receive a HK$20,000 teacher prize.
Peter Augustus Owen (PAO): This year we’re very pleased to have the co-founder of Asia Art Archive, Claire Hsu, and artist Kacey Wong returning as our judges. They have been involved with the prize from its inception, and are an essential part of its success. We’re very happy that this year we’re also welcoming Mimi Brown, the founder and executive director of Spring Workshop; Eric Poon, associate professor of practice at the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Pang Laikwan, faculty member of Cultural and Religious Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Ben Quilty, renowned Australian artist and human rights activist.
PAO: The beauty of the arts prize is that it allows artists to explore human rights themes through a creative medium. It’s a way to open up the discussion of these issues and give them a platform for dialogue that may not be possible in other settings. It’s vital to the future of a city like Hong Kong that we have frank discussions about issues like human rights, and the prize provides an excellent forum to do that.
This year’s winners of the HK Prize will be announced on Wednesday in a live stream on social media, instead of at the usual star-studded awards ceremony. It will be the first time in the competition’s 39-year history that the ceremony has been broadcast online.
The HK Prize is presented annually to outstanding individuals and teams who advance world civilisation by making significant contributions to the fields of science and technology and inspire others towards a harmonious society. In addition to a monetary award and trophy, finalists will have the opportunity to attend seminars or research internships at universities and labs in Hong Kong, where they can build professional networks with global scientists and learn about cutting-edge research here. The symbol of the HK Prize, expressed both in the logo and the trophies conferred to winners, juxtaposes two precious elements – a pearl and a jade amulet with holes pierced through it – reflecting the “balance” between science and art. The judging committee is composed of internationally recognised scholars and experts in the field.