One Century On, The Arts Association Keeps Evolving

Arts Association H.K.U.S.U. High Table Dinner 2015

The Arts Association is 100 years old this year and stronger than ever. Both membership and energy are up, driven by students’ enthusiastic involvement in the Umbrella Movement. But while this all sounds promising, it may not have been what the early founders of the association had in mind.

The Arts Association was set up by professors and, until the 1970s, it was a loosely academic body with membership of both staff and students. Activities were internally focused, consisting largely of dramas, debates and sports competitions.

Frederick Yip, a second-year student in History and Politics and Public Administration and Vice-Chair of the association, has been compiling its history for a commemorative book that will also include interviews with famous alumni and writings by members past and present.

“We’ve been trying to trace the activities that were organised by the association. For example, before World War II, there were drama shows in the Grand Hall [now Loke Yew Hall]. In the 1950s and 1960s, debating competitions were popular – the motions were quite general and academic, on topics like literature and women’s rights.

“They also had events like interfaculty soccer competitions and our team won several times. They had social dinners in the 1950s and 1960s, too, where they usually invited professors and deans to come.”

The tone of things started to change from the 1970s when the association became a strictly student organisation. This was a time of growing social and political awareness among HKU students over such issues as the Diaoyu Islands dispute and corruption. In the 1980s, when discussions about Hong Kong’s future began to dominate, a current affairs standing committee was formed and it sets the tone for today.

“It’s one of our most prominent standing committees because we all want Arts students to be aware of current affairs and to be active, especially after the Umbrella Movement,” the Chairman, Becky Wong, a second-year English Studies and Translation student, said.

“In terms of engagement in current affairs and politics, we are getting better and better. Students are more involved, especially from last year. So it’s a very encouraging result and we all feel very optimistic about it. At our high table dinner, we had hundreds of participants, which was good to see.”

There are nonetheless complications with that uptick in interest, Frederick said. “We now have to serve more than 2,200 members and communicate with them. That will be the challenge for the association in future,” he said.

Moreover, the move from the Main Building has made it more difficult to reach students. Arts students used to spend a lot of time there and would often drop by the Arts Association office. Now, they are more scattered across the campus. “Bonding is a big issue, although it’s compensated for by the increase in participation,” Becky said.

Their commemorative publication will offer a timely context to all of these changes. Alumni have been invited to share both memories and photos, and the book will be released early next year.

See the original article in Arts Faculty Newsletter Winter 2015.