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Arts & Communication Push the ENVELOPE

as those “who have since fallen through the cracks,” as It commenced in February 2023 and the expected date
in artists who find their own artistic practices that fall of completion is September 2024. Within the year of
in between disciplines. Such values are reflected in the 2023, CMHK has held five sessions of Pre-courses, two
2
curatorial focus of CMHK’s longest running performance Camps, two Public Showcases, and one Teacher Retreat,
series, Sonic Anchor, that was modeled after the Lacking which are described further below. A total of 120 people
Sound Festival in Taiwan region. Similarly, Sonic Anchor participated in the Pre-courses and 58 continued into the
3
provides a “playground” for artists to present sonic Camps. About half of the participants were secondary- and
experimentations beyond the boundaries of experimental university-level students. The activities were led by a team
music and performance. This is but one example of how “the of 15, including teachers, organizers, and artists.
local context characteris[ing] sonic arts in Hong Kong…
very much co-exists in tandem with the international 2.2. Objectives of the project
scene. From the sometimes significant professional and The aim of Push the ENVELOPE was to cultivate interest
educational experience abroad of our interviewees to in sonic arts through introducing instrument and sound
their influences from around the world, Hong Kong can object designing as a creative process. In our operational
be said to be at least partly embedded within the global definition, an “instrument” refers to a tool and agency to
community of sonic art practitioners.” 1 present forms for expressions: for example, a violin, a digital
In recent years, CMHK has identified a widening rift synthesizer and a guitar. These instruments are “objects
between aspiring and mid-career artists. The chasm is whose creation and whose musical capabilities are infused
caused by the lack of resources to provide educational and with information and conceptual structures that reflect the
4(p.41)
career support to emerging artists (secondary school to history and styles of musical sounds.” According to the
undergraduate level) who may be interested in sonic arts. established social norm, mastering a musical instrument is
Moreover, most of the art education in Hong Kong is still determined by the capability to perform, and not primarily
fixated on defining the boundaries between practices, for to create. However, as has become increasingly evident,
instance, by placing a too narrow focus on the legacies of this is a severe limitation of what it means to engage
Chinese and Western musical traditions. Emerging artists with music. It acts to promote rote learning over self-
who are looking to know more about listening, sonic arts driven exploration and motoric discipline over listening
or even electroacoustic music will have to rely on online experience. As opposed to promoting the traditions of
communities and resources. The organization believes in the virtuosic playing and listening, “…the procedures for
promotion of a much wider educational outlook on the sonic generating sound and in the life of sounds once they
5(p.207)
arts, one that actively brings in traditions from neighboring have come into the world,” the process of creating
regions, including Southeast Asia, Korea, Indonesia, is emphasized to provide new perspectives to music and
Polynesia, and more. Part of the challenge lies in giving access sound making beyond existing practices. To cultivate
to such materials so as to inspire youth, in particular children creativity in music and art education in Hong Kong, Push
in secondary school (12 – 18 years of age), who are keen to the ENVELOPE advocates the idea of integrating active
know more about creative arts in general, and the sonic arts listening with designing and creating DIY instruments in a
in particular. It is also a challenge for university students, process of realizing creative approaches.
most often supported by their parents, to pursue arts as a 3. Methods
viable career option in Hong Kong as well as in Mainland
China. The initiative that is discussed in the present text aims 3.1. Designed by and for local artists
at creating a space to meet these challenges. The program content was designed jointly by CMHK and

2. Introduction of Push the ENVELOPE a group of Hong Kong artists, including Lawrence Lau,
Kin Lam, AK Kan, Larry Shuen, Winston Yeung, Steve
2.1. About the project Hui (Nerve), Cheuk Wing Nam, Adam Neutron, Fiona
The Push the ENVELOPE: Sound Art Initiative, an 18-month Lee, and Kenny Wong. They took on roles as camp leaders,
educational program, was proposed by the Artistic Director, artist teachers, and laboratory artist teachers. The creative
Karen Yu (first author of the present paper) in 2022 to the team was led by the initiator, Karen Yu, and supported by
arts capacity development funding scheme (ACDFS) of the administrative team led by Him Cheung at CMHK,
the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau of Hong Kong consisting of Winston Yeung, Tina Yeung, Fung Wing
SAR. The program consists of summer camps, pre-camp Lam, and Ian Tang.
activities, weekly courses, professional development The expertise of the team of artists encompasses
activities for in-school educators, and public showcases. a broad range of topics, including microphone and

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.6236