【by Benny Lim, June 2025】
Introduction
As of 2024, the average life expectancy in Hong Kong stands at 85.42 years, which is amongst the highest in the world (Tsang, 2024). According to Wong and Yeung (2019), the aging population in Hong Kong will expand substantially, from 17.9% of the population aged 65 and above in 2018 to 31.9% in 2038. The Census and Statistics Department (2023) predicts that Hong Kong’s elderly population aged 65 and above will reach 36% by 2046. At the same time, the birth rate in the city has mostly been on a decline. The surge of outward migration of young families in recent years further increases the population of seniors in the city. Policymakers are recommending continued employability, volunteerism, lifelong learning, social engagement and inclusion, as well as a series of senior-friendly (or friendlier) infrastructure improvements and adjustments in transport, housing, public spaces, and elder care facilities. Seniors are encouraged to participate in various social activities in the name of active aging to maintain physical, mental, and social well-being.
There has been a noticeable increase in artistic projects involving seniors in Hong Kong, brought on by a growing number of non-profit community arts organisations rolling out bottom-up initiatives. In 2021, I launched a public humanities initiative, “art and aging”, under the auspices of the Division of Cultural Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This contribution explores the key ideas behind this initiative and introduces how one of its projects, namely, the Arts Resource Hub for seniors, offers a humanities approach to engaging seniors through the arts and sustaining their artistic journeys.
Why the Arts Matter for Seniors?
Literature suggests that participating in the arts can tackle health issues that come with aging. In studies led by Tymoszuk, Spiro and Perkins (2021) and Lindauer (2003), seniors who had participated in the arts shared that they experience less arthritis pain and their physical stamina has improved. Specifically, art activities such as dance and music often need body movements, which helps to maintain muscle toning, keep the body agile, improve cognitive skills, increase cardiovascular strength, and improve respiratory functions. Seniors are also more prone to facing life-death issues alongside other mental health issues. Art offers them the space to deal with their emotions when faced these challenges. Through participating in the arts, seniors nurture their inner spirituality and playfulness, often resulting in a more positive outlook in life (Light, 2022; Yip & Cheung, 2022; Law, 2020; Nan, 2018).
There are also social benefits associated with seniors’ participation in the arts. Some seniors seek to forge new connections and friendships in their later years, especially with changes in family life and management. According to Noice, Noice and Kramer (2013), seniors felt that being involved in the arts lessened the feelings of isolation and loneliness. Artistic engagement serves as a form of social catalyst, providing opportunities for older adults to meet like-minded individuals, form new relationships, expand their social networks, and in the process, cultivates a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and shared interests (Moore & Campbell, 2017; Lehmberg & Fung, 2010).
While the arts may address some social and medical challenges of aging, they are equally a vital part of the humanities. Specifically, Pang Laikwan’s recent publication (2025) emphasises that the value of art transcends its practical, or utilitarian, functions and lies in its meaningfulness to both the creators and participants. She explores how the arts present aging as a necessary part of our natural lives and demonstrates how the arts can uniquely present us with an aging future that is worth anticipating. She also posits that art serves as a meaningful medium for communication and engagement, capable of creating and (re)building connections. This resonates with the idea of intersubjectivity, where individuals’ experiences and identities are shaped through their interactions with others (Gustafsson et al., 2022). Many art activities for seniors are designed as group activities, allowing participants to work together and communicate ideas and perspectives with others. In the process, seniors develop new relationships with others and also themselves.
Enabling Participation
As part of the “art and aging” initiative, several focus groups were conducted in 2022 with seniors from Hong Kong who have participated in the arts, with the aim to understand barriers of arts participation and challenges they face during actual artistic engagements. For many seniors, art had never been a part of their life’s plan. They lack exposure or understanding of the arts, which may have resulted from limited access or opportunities during their earlier years. They also expressed self-doubt and missed opportunities for artistic development, often reiterating that they had no artistic talents. Another significant perception was that art is unattainable and is exclusive to certain individuals or social classes.
To address these barriers of participation, it is necessary to educate seniors on the various forms and impacts of art, sending a clear message that art is accessible to everyone, regardless of background or abilities. Seniors should realize that artistic expression is not limited to innate talent, but can be nurtured and developed through learning and practice. Even as seniors take their first step into the world of arts, many challenges await them. The process of engaging with the arts requires them to shift out of their routine and embrace something new and different. Seniors also feared making mistakes and being judged for them. This highlights a need for more structured guidance and support, such as learning materials and guides.
Cultural workers need to ensure that the art activities resonate with seniors, aligning with their motivations for participating. Seniors value personalized instruction that respects individual strengths, weaknesses, and comfort levels. On the other hand, cultural workers should not underestimate the abilities of seniors. Seniors often surprise themselves and others with their resilience and adaptability, challenging stereotypes. Cultural workers should also ensure a democratic process that values seniors’ expectations and contributions, allowing seniors to shape the project’s direction. Pang (2017) also discusses the tension between participation and indoctrination, arguing that true artistic engagement is inherently democratic, allowing space for open exchanges. Cultural workers should therefore create opportunities for everyone, respecting the vernacular wisdom and rich life experiences that seniors bring. This promotes inclusivity and ensures that everyone feels valued, appreciated, and promotes a collaborative environment.
Documenting the impact of artistic projects involving seniors is uncommon in Hong Kong. Collecting personal narratives from participants is of great importance as it unveils the impacts of arts engagement on them. The documentation process serves two primary purposes. First, it highlights the transformative journey of individual participants, evidencing personal growth, cognitive stimulation, emotional expression, and improved social interactions. Next, for seniors, these narratives may serve to inspire future projects and participants (Pang, 2020). From the focus groups, it is evident that peer motivation is key to encouraging participation among seniors. Many of them were initially hesitant but were encouraged by personal anecdotes of friends or family members to take the first step. The presence of a supportive environment, peer encouragement, and accessible community resources play a vital role in fostering artistic participation among seniors.
An Open Access Arts Resource Hub for Seniors
In early 2025, the “art and aging” initiative rolled out an online and open access Arts Resource Hub for Seniors[1]. One main driving force behind the development of the hub is the lack of Cantonese-language resources to support seniors’ participation in the arts. While there are learning materials online, they are often in English and may not reflect cultural contexts relevant to seniors in Hong Kong, who are mostly Cantonese-speaking. The hub comprises four sections of purposefully produced materials. First, it includes a series of short documentary films, each depicting artistic journeys of a senior from Hong Kong. At the time of writing, 20 films have been made and uploaded, with more in the plans. These films are intended to break down the misconceptions that many seniors have about the arts being inaccessible or irrelevant to their lives. These films share personal stories of seniors who found meaning and fulfilment through artistic engagement. They serve as motivational resources to inspire others to take their first step into the arts.
Next, the hub shares a variety of learning materials created specifically for seniors. The current focus is on drama, but there are plans to expand the scope to include other artforms. In this section, there are six podcasts on theatre history and aesthetics, which seniors can listen to while going about their daily lives. The section also includes seven videos on warm-up techniques and theatre games, made with trained actors who are seniors themselves. There are also video materials on acting techniques and playback theatre, produced in collaboration with drama teachers who have experience with the demographics. The hub will soon include an e-book of scripts as resources for practice and rehearsals, which feature plays written by Hong Kong seniors themselves. These scripts reflect their lived experiences and offer content that is more relatable to Hong Kong seniors than other dramatic texts.
The third component of the resource hub is a series of guides (or tips) to support cultural workers and facilitators who work with seniors in artistic projects. Specially, the guides highlight the importance of co-creation and co-learning, promoting a collaborative approach where seniors actively contribute to the process. Co-creating between seniors facilitates artistic engagement that provides a new lens to perceive and appreciate their values in society. Seniors who face challenges with the creative process can also benefit from engaging with more confident peers. This co-learning process not only allows for the direct transmission of artistic techniques and knowledge, but also cultivates a supportive environment that fosters confidence, resilience, and a shared sense of achievement.
The final section focuses on evaluating the impact of artistic projects involving seniors. Several methodologies are included. The hub recommends video documentation of seniors’ artistic journeys as the preferred method of evaluation. Personal narratives can provide valuable insights into the lived experiences of seniors and help to create a deeper understanding on the importance arts can play in the aging process. When seniors share experiences in their own words, the rich archive of personal stories can serve as valuable motivations and resources for future projects. The hub includes guides and tips on making short video documentaries, tips on conducting interviews, as well as possible questions to ask. The hub also introduces focus group as another viable method. Apart from qualitative methods, the hub also added more than 130 survey questions in eight categories for cultural workers and facilitators to freely adapt and use in assessing the outcomes of the projects.
It is worth noting that the Arts Resource Hub is never meant to be a prescriptive framework for how to run a successful arts project involving seniors. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each group of seniors and each project will have its own unique needs and challenges. Moreover, while the hub is essentially an online platform, it is not a replacement for offline and onsite art workshops and classes. Rather, the hub serves as a supportive resource where users are empowered to adapt and modify the materials as they see fit, using them to complement their own approaches and ideas. Beyond Hong Kong, there is also potential for the hub to reach new publics. Malaysia, for instance, has a sizable Cantonese-speaking elderly community. Nearer home, seniors in Guangzhou and Macau are also potential users.
Concluding Remarks
The phrase “artistic journeys” was mentioned several times in this contribution. Many community-based arts projects places strong emphasis on the process. This has always been a contentious issue as some would think that the quality of the outcomes (or end product) should take precedence over the process. If an artwork brings about a deep resonance with the human experience, it can be considered high quality even if it does not subscribe to conventional artistic norm on what is a good art based on public perception. On the same note, if the artistic process is able to foster personal growth and collective intersubjectivity, it should carry substantial weight. As a public humanities project, the Arts Resource Hub seeks to enhance the artistic process and journeys of seniors in the arts.
AUTHOR
Benny Lim is Associate Professor of Practice in Cultural Management and Director of the MA in Cultural Management Programme at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He serves on the Programme Sub-committee of The TENG Company (Singapore), the Advisory Board of the University Arts Centre at CUHK Shenzhen, and is an Arts Advisor (Arts Administration) and Examiner (Drama) for the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. He is also an Advisor to the Macao Fringe Festival 2025. Since 2021, he has led an impact research project on art and aging, with a focus on humanities-based approaches to gerontology.
NOTE
[1] The Arts Resource Hub for Seniors: https://cu-artsresource.org/
REFERENCES
Census and Statistics Department. (2023). Hong Kong population projections for 2022 to 2046 (October 2023). https://www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?scode=190&pcode=FA100061
Gustafsson, A. W., Johnsson, P., Järvholm, K., Bernhardsson, K., Forslid, T., & Ohlsson, A. (2022). “An intricate dance of intersubjectivity: The social and cognitive benefits of a digital shared reading group.” Scientific Study of Literature, 12(1–2), 103–132.
Law, S. M. (2020). Growth and aspiration: Arts and well-being in Hong Kong. https://www.britishcouncil.hk/sites/default/files/british_council_growth_and_aspiration_arts_and_well-being_in_hong_kong_report.pdf
Lehmberg, L. J., & Fung, C. V. (2010). “Benefits of music participation for senior citizens: A review of the literature.” Music Education Research International, 4, 19–30.
Lindauer, M. S. (2003). Aging, creativity, and art: A positive perspective on late life development. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9202-4
Light, F. (2022). Art and ageing: How art can benefit older adults. https://www.firstlighthomecare.com/blog/art-aging-art-can-benefit-older-adults/
Moore, K., & Campbell, R. (2017). “Mastery with age: The appeal of the traditional arts to senior citizens in contemporary Japan.” Contemporary Japan, 21(1), 223–251. https://doi.org/10.1080/09386491.2010.11826996
Nan, J. K. M. (2018). “An expressive-arts-based life-death education program for the elderly: A qualitative study.” Death Studies, 44(3), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2018.1527413
Noice, T., Noice, H., & Kramer, A. F. (2013). “Participatory arts for older adults: A review of benefits and challenges.” The Gerontologist, 54(5), 741–753. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnt138
Pang, L. (2017). The art of cloning: Creative production during China’s Cultural Revolution. Verso Books.
Pang, L. (2020). The appearing demos: Hong Kong during and after the Umbrella Movement. University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.11357429
Pang, L. (2025). “Contemporary Chinese arts on ageing and the poetics of accumulation.” China Information. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0920203X251313724
Tsang, H. Y. (2024). Active ageing: Pension system and older workers policies in Hong Kong and Japan (TPG Capstone Project, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). https://commons.ln.edu.hk/soc605_stdwork/2
Tymoszuk, U., Spiro, N., & Perkins, R. (2021). “Arts engagement trends in the United Kingdom and their mental and social wellbeing implications: HEartS survey.” PLOS ONE, 16(2), e0246078. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246078
Wong, K., & Yeung, M. (2019). Population ageing trend of Hong Kong (January 2019). https://www.hkeconomy.gov.hk/en/pdf/el/el-2019-02.pdf
Yip, P., & Cheung, K. (2022). “Hongkongers are living longer but not healthier as ageing population puts extra burden on health care.” South China Morning Post (16 March 2022). https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3170423/hongkongers-are-living-longer-not-healthier-ageing-population-puts