Is Hong Kong Ready for Long-Run Performances?

I am writing in response to a recent interview I did for TVB時事多面睇 (「政府推百老匯式長期公演　業界覺得可行嗎？」, aired on 12 November 2025), which focuses on the potential of long-run performances in Hong Kong. This conversation is partly in response to the official opening of East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC) this month, which positions itself as a venue for long-running productions. I fully understand it is common for interviews to be edited down for broadcast, and the views presented on air are often shorter than what I originally shared. This article, therefore, includes my main views shared during the actual interview.

In Hong Kong, a “long-run” does not need to reference the multi-year production model seen on Broadway or West End. Our context is very different. Most performances here take place over a weekend (or at most two). A long-run in Hong Kong simply means a run that extends beyond this typical schedule. To me, a long-running production does not have to run consecutively and may involve multiple reruns within a certain time period or intensive tours outside Hong Kong.

One of the questions asked was whether Hong Kong is ready for long-run productions. This requires looking at several key factors. Do we have enough venues that can support long runs? Most of our performance venues are managed by the government, each with its own mission, priorities, and allocation constraints. This creates natural limitations for any group hoping to book extended periods. Also, do we have enough local audience to sustain long runs? If not, how do we strategically attract tourists to support our productions? We also need to consider the capacity and motivation of performing arts organizations. Long-run productions require strong business acumens and a strategic shift in business models. Such productions demand greater manpower, investment, and a long-term commitment to audience development. To be honest, most performing arts organizations in Hong Kong are not ready for this.

Government intervention is helpful, especially at the initial stages. In fact, funding support for long-run productions already exists. But government funding alone is definitely not enough. More importantly, the government needs to develop the ecology required to make long runs viable. This includes working closely with the performing arts sector to grow new audiences locally and from neighboring cities. This also means connecting the arts with travel and hospitality sectors in a more deliberate and strategic way. Moreover, the government should foster stronger ties between the performing arts and businesses. Corporate support should go beyond mere sponsorship and move towards co-creating shared values with the arts sector. This involves creating win-win opportunities, including new revenue streams, for both the arts and the corporate partners.

I was also asked if current performance venues are sufficient to support long-running productions. In my opinion, it is not so much about the number of venues, but what purposes do government-run venues represent. EKCC, for instance, focuses on art-tech, and this makes it seem unusual for the venue to plan for long-run productions that may not have art-tech elements. If a long-run production has little to do with art-tech, how will this align with the venue’s vision and mission? It is also important to note that government venues serve the wider performing arts community. Allocating long-run slots to specific groups may reduce opportunities for others, particularly smaller organizations that already face challenges in securing venues for their shows.

There are models and possibilities worth exploring. One such possibility is supporting performing arts organizations with a good track record to operate their own venues so that they could extend the run of their more successful productions. This requires corporate collaboration, including embedding performance venues into future property developments and offering residencies to specific performing arts groups. Government revitalization schemes for vacant heritage buildings can also provide organizations, especially smaller ones, with their own spaces, or allow several groups to share a single location. All these are not new ideas. In Shanghai, 亚洲大厦 houses a vertical cluster of theatres. Singapore also has a long history of arts housing. For one, the Singapore Repertory Theatre operates their own 380-seat venue, while smaller groups use alternative spaces they convert into intimate performance settings. These examples show that with the right support, diverse venue models can emerge.

Long runs are not just longer performance schedules. If we want long runs in Hong Kong to take root, the ecosystem around them must be ready. Space usage, venue management models, tourism promotion, corporate partnerships, and funding structures must be considered together.

Benny Lim is the Associate Professor of Practice in Cultural Management and the Director of the MA in Cultural Management Programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Visit https://www2.crs.cuhk.edu.hk/faculty-staff/teaching-faculty/lim-kok-wai-benny

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