HKAPA to confer Honorary Doctorate and Honorary Fellowships on Six Distinguished Individuals
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) will hold its Honorary Awards Ceremony 2026 on 16 October to confer honorary doctorate and honorary fellowships on six distinguished individuals, recognising their outstanding achievements in the arts and cultural sector and the community, as well as their longstanding and unwavering support of the Academy.
Recipient of Doctorate of the Academy honoris causa:
Mr Tsui Hark
Recipients of Honorary Fellowship:
Mr Stanley Kwan Kam-pang
Mr Mo Yu-tin (Sun Kim-long) MH CEC
Mr Yang Yuntao MH
Ms Flora Yu Kit-yee
Mr Yu Yan-wah
Mr Tsui Hark
Mr Tsui Hark is one of the most influential and visionary figures in contemporary Hong Kong cinema, instrumental in bringing it to the world stage. As a director, producer, screenwriter and creative innovator, he has played a transformative role in shaping the artistic identity and international reputation of Hong Kong’s film industry. A pioneering force behind the Hong Kong New Wave film movement and a principal architect of the city's cinematic golden era, his work has redefined the possibilities of action filmmaking and inspired generations of filmmakers around the world.
Mr Tsui’s contributions to The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts extend far beyond his Honorary Fellowship in 2007, and are defined by sustained, hands-on engagement with the next generation of filmmakers. Through his generous initiative to host exclusive film screenings for students from the School of Film and Television, he has offered rare access to major works such as The Taking of Tiger Mountain, The Battle at Lake Changjin, and Septet: The Story of Hong Kong. These sessions do more than showcase masterful storytelling. They also serve as living classrooms, bridging the gap between theoretical study and professional practice. By sharing his creative process and cinematic vision first-hand, Mr Tsui has helped deepen students’ learning, inspired their artistic growth, and reaffirmed his personal dedication to nurturing Hong Kong’s future filmmaking talent. His goodwill and legacy of mentorship will continue to enrich the Academy community.
Mr Stanley Kwan Kam-pang
Mr Stanley Kwan Kam-pang is an acclaimed Hong Kong film director, producer, and educator whose esteemed career demonstrates an enduring commitment to Chinese-language cinema and the advancement of performing arts education.
Through his industry expertise and cultural influence, Mr Kwan has made a profound and sustained contribution to the School of Film and Television of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He enriches the curriculum of the Academy's School of Film and Television by offering his films for case-study screenings, providing students and faculty with invaluable opportunities to analyse narrative and technical approaches. As a frequent guest speaker, he shares with young generations his first-hand experience in film production, creative decision-making, and movie direction, connecting theoretical study with professional practice.
His impact is most evident in his dedicated mentorship, notably through his participation in the Hong Kong Film Development Council’s Directors’ Succession Scheme, where he serves as a mentor to young filmmakers, including Academy alumnus Cheuk Cheung. Mr Kwan advises emerging directors on balancing artistic vision with market realities, emphasising the importance of broader audience appeal. By providing direct, sustained support through this formal master-apprentice framework, Mr Kwan makes a tangible long-term contribution to the professional development of the Academy graduates.
Mr Mo Yu-tin (Sun Kim-long) MH CEC
A veteran of over 50 years on stage, Mr Mo Yu-tin — best known by his stage name, Sun Kim-long — is a distinguished performer, producer, playwright, and educator whose work has been central to the promotion and production of Cantonese opera. Throughout his prolific creative journey, Mr Mo has expanded the Cantonese opera canon by founding the Xin Feng Huang Cantonese Opera Troupe in 2001 and the Xin Hui Huang Cantonese Opera Troupe in 2002, recording celebrated albums, and penning notable scripts including Reflection of Beauties in Lotus Pond, The Green Jade Hairpin, The Heroes of Tang, Pearl Flag, and A Love Poem Stained with Blood.
Mr Mo has shown an unwavering commitment to The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the School of Chinese Opera. As a visiting artist, he has nurtured promising talent, enhancing student training and elevating the School’s performance standards through lectures, workshops, and repertoire guidance for its original production Gongs and Drums. Beyond artistic instruction, Mr Mo has generously contributed his industry expertise to steer the School of Chinese Opera's academic development. He served as an industry representative and panel member for the Internal Programme Validation, while providing strategic advisory input for the Cantonese opera scriptwriting curriculum development.
His significant contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the HKADC Artist of the Year for Xiqu, the Home Affairs Bureau Commendation Award, the Chief Executive's Commendation for Community Service, and the Medal of Honour awarded by the Government of HKSAR.
Mr Yang Yuntao MH
Mr Yang Yuntao is a celebrated dancer, choreographer, arts educator, and cultural leader whose work has profoundly shaped the development of Chinese dance, both in Hong Kong and on the international stage.
Mr Yang is widely recognised for his pioneering fusion of Chinese dance with traditional martial arts. Through sustained interdisciplinary research and close collaboration with masters from various martial-arts traditions, he has developed an innovative methodology that marries dance aesthetics with martial philosophies and movement vocabularies. This synthesis not only expands the expressive range of Chinese dance but also celebrates Hong Kong’s unique heritage, transforming time-honoured practices into compelling contemporary art, all the while strengthening the city’s reputation as a hub of cultural innovation.
Apart from his creative work, Mr Yang has shown an enduring commitment to dance education. As Artistic Advisor to the School of Dance of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, he actively supports students through mentorship, examination duties, and advisory services. He has also fostered strong collaborations between HKDC and the Academy, offering students of the School of Dance opportunities for performance, professional workshops, internships, and industry exposure. By bridging academic training with professional practice, he plays a vital role in cultivating emerging talent.
Ms Flora Yu Kit-yee
Ms Flora Yu Kit-yee is one of Hong Kong’s most illustrious arts administrators and cultural leaders, with an accomplished career spanning the performing arts, corporate communications, strategic development and cultural management. Currently Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF), she is widely recognised for her visionary leadership, commitment to artistic excellence, and dedication to fostering cultural exchange, accessibility and talent development.
Her commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists and arts leaders extends directly to her engagement with The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Under her leadership, HKAF has provided invaluable opportunities for Academy students and faculty to engage with internationally renowned artists and productions. A notable example came with the 2026 co-production of The Drunkard, a performance commissioned by the Festival and staged by the School of Drama, through which Academy students worked alongside acclaimed German director Sebastian Kaiser, performing on an international festival platform.
Ms Yu further strengthened the partnership between the Academy and the Festival by facilitating a memorandum of understanding that supports international exchange, professional collaboration and industry engagement. Through student access to Festival performances, artist-led workshops and masterclasses, and her service on the School Advisory Committee of the School of Drama in 2024/25 and 2025/26, she has enriched students’ educational experiences and contributed significantly to the Academy’s development. Through her leadership and advocacy, she has made a lasting impact to both the Academy and the cultural development of Hong Kong and the region.
Mr Yu Yan-wah
A member of the first graduating class of the School of Dance of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Mr Yu Yan-wah is an eminent dance artist, choreographer and arts educator whose contributions to contemporary dance span over three decades. By establishing E-Side Dance Company, Mr Yu has played a significant role in advancing contemporary dance, nurturing artistic talent, and bringing the performing arts to the wider community.
Following his professional dance career with the City Contemporary Dance Company, he founded E-Side Dance Company, which has grown into one of Hong Kong's most respected contemporary dance organisations. He was awarded a Commendation Certificate under the Home Affairs Bureau's Commendation Scheme, and was named Artist of the Year (Dance) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.
Beyond his artistic creations, Mr Yu’s steadfast commitment to the Academy exemplifies a deep dedication to guiding emerging artists. As external examiner for the School of Dance’s Choreographic Workshop, he offers vital mentorship to help budding choreographers hone their craft and develop distinct creative voices. In addition to formal assessments, his engagement is reflected in his regular presence at Academy productions, providing advice to bridge academic training with professional practice. Furthermore, as Founder and Artistic Director of E-Side Dance Company, he empowers Academy students and alumni — providing a dedicated choreographic platform to showcase their work, develop their creative practice, and ease their transition into the professional world.
Full citations of awardees will be released on 16 October 2026.
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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 world-leading higher education institution for the performing arts. It provides professionally-oriented undergraduate education and postgraduate studies in Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with an emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, the Academy ranks 10th for Performing Arts and 1st in Asia.
The Academy has been granted Programme Area Accreditation status by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications to award its own Certificates, Diplomas, Bachelor’s (Honours) Degrees and Master’s Degrees. In the past four decades, more than 10 000 artists have graduated from the Academy, going on to become performing artists, creative arts practitioners, filmmakers, educators, and cultural leaders with global impact – many have won international awards and shone in their respective artistic fields.
Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the Academy’s landmark heritage campus in Pokfulam, houses educational facilities for the School of Film and Television.