The On-campus Expansion Building of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (the Academy) has been named after Toyo Mall Limited (TML) as “TML Artist Block”, in appreciation of the staunch support by TML. The generous donation from TML is a significant contribution for the establishment of an endowment fund to support the on-going development of the Academy.
To recognise Toyo Mall’s support, the Academy organised a naming ceremony of TML Artist Block today. The ceremony was officiated by Executive Director of Toyo Mall Limited, Mr Francis Law; Dr Elina Leung; Academy Council Chairman, Professor Stephen Chow and Academy Director, Professor Gillian Choa.
Academy Council Chairman Professor Stephen Chow expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Mr Francis Law, Dr Elina Leung, and Toyo Mall for their generous donation and continued support. “This is the biggest gift the Academy has received in recent years. The Academy has successfully applied for the Government’s Eighth Matching Grant Scheme with this donation. The endowment fund established by the donation would provide important support to the Academy in nurturing students to become all-round performing artists.”
Mr Francis Law, Executive Director of Toyo Mall Limited, remarked, “We are very glad to be introduced to the Academy by Professor Stephen Chow and be provided a good understanding of the Academy’s mission and development. The Academy has remained the first in Asia for three consecutive years in the latest QS World University Rankings’ Performing Arts category, which has proven its great success. We are thankful to the Academy for naming this building ‘TML Artist Block’. We sincerely wish that the Academy will continue to nurture more outstanding performing artists and professionals for Hong Kong and scale new heights.”
Academy Director Professor Gillian Choa added, “The Academy has been facing many challenges under the pandemic, so we are particularly grateful for the generous donation from Mr Law, Dr Leung and Toyo Mall. The endowment fund established with their donation will provide stable support to the Academy’s developments.”
(From left) Mr Francis Law; Dr Elina Leung; Professor Stephen Chow; Professor Gillian Choa
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (www.hkapa.edu)
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance in 1984, is a leading tertiary institution in the performing arts in Asia. It provides professional undergraduate education and practice-based postgraduate studies. The study encompasses Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning. Since 2008, the Academy has attained the Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) status awarded by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) to self-monitor and accredit its own Undergraduate and Post-secondary programmes in the five programme areas of Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Since 2016, the PAA status has been extended to cover Master’s Degree programmes and below. The programmes operated by the School of Chinese Opera are accredited by HKCAAVQ for recognition under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework. Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the site of the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, has housed training facilities for the School of Film and Television since 2006. In the QS World University Rankings announced in 2021, the Academy is ranked 1st in Asia and 10th in the world in the Performing Arts category.