Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre @ Shek Kip Mei

There was an illustration fair at Shek kip mei, and I have never been to an illustration fair in Hong Kong, so I made a trip to the JCCAC (Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre). Shek kip mei was kind of in an outlying area (for Hong Kong standards), so the neighborhood was quiet and mellow. It was surrounded by a lot of school so there were a number of parent types hanging around. I believe they were lining up for an audition that their children were supposedly auditioning for. I mean as soon as you enter this establishment you will feel like you entered a school, so I made my guesses about this place being some kind of a school before it was renovated. (It was first a factory, then it was turned into an artist village.)

It was a cool area that had strong creative vibes. If you make your way up the floors, each room or space is a separate space for different artists. Some places were really tiny galleries, some spaces seemed like workshops, some were artist studios and some just seemed like your normal offices. There were a considerable number of businesses, so it seemed like it was a pretty active space, but the location being in a pretty far off area from the more urban areas made me wonder if it would affect the businesses. Then again, it also seemed like some studio spaces were more private areas, where artists could concentrate on their projects, so it may be better that it is further away from the ceaseless activity and noise seeping through your walls. 

The illustration fair itself was a small event, and the space was only able to permit a limited number of artists. I was honestly expecting something a little larger in scale, but it was still worth stopping by, because some of the artwork being displayed were really cool. I came with a friend so we were constantly engaged in a conversation, and eventually we talked with the artists and listened to their stories and backgrounds. All of the artists that were present were really talented and hard working people. It reminded me of the art markets that I used to attend not too long ago. Maybe when I settle down a bit I can start building up my own business again.

Link: https://www.jccac.org.hk/?a=group&id=b_1