By Matthew Cheng

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Bernard Chan, vice-chairman of the board that manages Hong Kong’s arts hub in West Kowloon, will succeed Henry Tang Ying-yen as chairman on October 1, pledging to resolve its financial crisis by boosting revenue and commercialising operations.
The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority announced on Tuesday that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu had appointed Chan as the board’s chairman for a two-year term, as Tang’s tenure had been renewed three times previously.
West Kowloon Cultural District is the city’s arts and cultural hub, comprising the modern art museum, M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Chinese opera house Xiqu Centre and other arts facilities and properties.
Chan is no stranger to the arts hub. Before becoming the authority’s board vice-chairman, he served as the board chairman of the Hong Kong Palace Museum from 2018 to 2022. He is currently the board chairman of M+.
Amid the financial woes of the arts hub, Chan pledged to roll out robust revenue-generating and commercialisation initiatives for long-term financial sustainability.
In the 2024-25 financial year, the authority’s operating deficit increased 33 per cent to HK$769 million (US$98.9 million) while its revenue contracted 18 per cent to HK$871 million.
A legislative paper earlier revealed the M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum had achieved cost recovery rates of 44 per cent each in the past financial year. This was on a par with or higher than those of other major cultural institutions worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Tate in London and the Centre Pompidou in France.
Tang served as the first non-official chairman of the authority’s board from 2008 to 2011 during his tenure as the city’s Chief Secretary. He was reappointed in 2019, 2021 and 2023, respectively.
Tang said he was confident Chan would “further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, reaching new heights of excellence”.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law praised Chan for his familiarity with the district’s projects.
She added that his experience in administrative management and public service, as well as his extensive network, would help him develop the hub into a cultural tourism landmark.
Law also expressed gratitude to Tang for his contribution to the district over the years.
Chan’s position as vice-chairman will be taken up by senior counsel Jat Sew-tong, a current board member of the authority.
Eliza Chan Ching-har, a member of Hong Kong’s top decision-making Executive Council, was appointed a member of the authority’s board.
Jat and Eliza Chan’s terms will start on October 1 and last for two years.