Foreword By the Co-Chairmen of the Board of French May Arts Festival
French May Arts Festival is a cultural highlight in Asia. As a bridge between Hong Kong, Macau and France, it provides a powerful platform to promote cultural exchanges and art appreciation in the regions. With more than 20 million audiences reached over the years, it has become a 2-month, 200,000-audience annual cultural festival that focuses on sharing among talents, nurturing the local art scene, and bringing the best of French creations to the territory while integrating them into our everyday life. While COVID-19 has substantially impacted the art and cultural sector, French May Arts Festival wishes to stand firm in its mission of presenting every art form to the broadest audience.
Through the rich diversity of its programmes – from exhibitions to performances, cinema, and gastronomy – French May has been continuously dedicated to serving our local communities by addressing the multiplicity of the audiences and their needs. In its 30th Anniversary Edition, French May Arts Festival invites us this year to unleash our imaginations and venture beyond the boundaries of space, time and sensation by exploring the exchanges, influences, and inspirations of artists through their different cultures, origins and artforms. Thanks to the continued support of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Hong Kong Jockey Club together with its sponsors and partners, French May Arts Festival is today more than a local cultural institution dedicated to the enjoyment of its audience, but also with an ongoing mission to educate the young generations and reach out to the less privileged and physically challenged. Once again, we thank you for joining us year after year in making the Festival what it has become. Together with our artists and performers we welcome you to enjoy our truly international and inspiring programmes!
Mrs. Mignonne CHENG
Co-chairman of the Board
Ms. Pansy HO
Co-chairman of the Board
Mrs. Christile DRULHE
Consul General of France inHong Kong and Macau
Message From The Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau
French May Arts Festival is back in Hong Kong, and there are many reasons to celebrate!
This year, French May Arts Festival will present its 30th Edition, an outstanding milestone celebrating 30 years of cultural and artistic exchanges between France and Hong Kong. We are proud that this Hong Kong festival is now one of the most important cultural festivals in Asia. French May has been enlivening local cultural life for 30 years already and has significantly contributed to promoting mutual understanding and cross-fertilization in arts. We hope it will continue to grow and nurture artistic exchanges in the future! On this occasion, we will also celebrate the return of French artists to Hong Kong after three years of sanitary crisis.
This year again French artistic creation will be present in Hong Kong in all its richness. The Château de Versailles will be honoured at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in an exhibition mixing heritage with digital, which will allow you to discover this fascinating monument and its history. Amongst a long list of events, the diversity of French performing arts will also be on display throughout the city, including dance, puppet shows, theatre, and music, around great names of French culture such as Jean de La Fontaine, Guy de Maupassant or Debussy. The French GourMay will be back as well to present the best of French gastronomy throughout the city, under a very apt theme for celebration: “Bubbles”!
I would like to express my deepest thanks to all our partners and friends who made this event possible year after year. French May Arts Festival could not take place without the continuous contribution of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the major support of all its loyal patrons and sponsors, and the dedication of French May team. Together, let's celebrate the 30th anniversary of our great festival and enjoy French culture
Co-chairman of the Board
Pansy HO
Co-chairman of the Board
Mignonne CHENG
Chairman Emeritus
Andrew S. YUEN
Honorary President of French May
Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau
Christile DRULHE
Director
Douglas C.K. WOO
Director
Kin-Lap HO
Director
Arthur de VILLEPIN
Director
Kevin THOMPSON
Director
Daphne KING
Director
Michelle ONG
Director
Benjamin CABOUAT
Director
Catherine CHENG
Director
Adrian CHENG
Director
Christopher CHAN
Director
David ZACHARIAS