March in Hong Kong is about to get even more vibrant. Next year, the city will welcome the inaugural Photofairs Hong Kong, a new event set to debut alongside the prestigious Art Basel (28-30 March) and a host of cultural festivities known as “Art March.” This fresh addition is the latest Shanghai fair to extend its reach to Hong Kong, joining the contemporary art-focused Art021, which is making its own Hong Kong debut next month.
Photofairs Hong Kong will unfold in a sprawling 5,600 sq m tent in Central, nestled on the waterfront’s west side. This setup will echo the concurrent Art Central fair (26-30 March), creating a unique art hub, according to Scott Gray, founder and CEO of Creo. The fair is poised to attract between 50 and 75 exhibitors, promising a dynamic showcase of contemporary photography.
Meanwhile, Photofairs Shanghai will transition to a May date next year, moving from its April slot that has been in place since 2023. The fair had originally been held in September but was paused in 2022 due to stringent lockdowns in the city.
The expansion to Hong Kong raises questions about the future of Photofairs’ other editions, particularly in New York, which launched in 2023 but faced cancellation this year, and San Francisco, which held fairs in 2017 and 2018. Gray remains optimistic, noting, “There has been great interest in participating in the US fair, but feedback from a number of galleries has cited the difficult environment at this time. Our priority is mounting a dynamic and high-quality event, so we will continue conversations with our community of dealers and collectors in determining future plans”.
Fan Ni, Director, PHOTOFAIRS Hong Kong, says: ‘We are so pleased to bring PHOTOFAIRS to Hong Kong and to continue our mission to create spaces for the discovery and cultivation of photography in the Asia Pacific region. Hong Kong Art Week is a cornerstone in the annual art calendar and we look forward to joining the celebrations and to welcoming galleries, collectors, patrons and visitors to the Central Harbourfront.’
Helming Photofairs Hong Kong will be Fan Ni, the director of Photofairs Shanghai and a prominent figure in the mainland art world. Her extensive experience includes roles as associate publisher of Art Review Asia and at Beijing’s UCCA museum. While Gray did not specify how a mainland-based director might influence the Hong Kong fair, he emphasized her ability to lead projects across the Asia-Pacific region.
Organizers assure that “all fairs are embedded in the cultural ecosystem of the specific location they are set in,” with detailed programming elements to be announced closer to the fair’s opening .
Hong Kong’s top galleries, such as Blindspot and Kiang Malingue, are celebrated for their multimedia approaches, showcasing local contemporary artists like South Ho Siu Nam and Ellen Pau, who excel in photography and video. Gray highlighted the significant appetite for photography in Asia, positioning Hong Kong as the ideal location for Photofairs. Launching during the city’s major art week, the fair aims to become “the destination for photography during the city’s unmissable annual moment, drawing the leading tastemakers of the international art world” .
Photofairs Hong Kong is organized by London-based Creo Arts, which also manages the Sony World Photography Awards, Sony Future Filmmaker Awards, Photo London, and Agnus Montgomery Arts. This new venture partners with mainland China’s Meta Media, formerly Modern Media, and brings on board Hong Kong’s Great Entertainment Group (GEG). With over 30 years of experience, GEG is known for projects such as The World Circus Hong Kong and managing the 60m-tall Ferris wheel in Central .
While Gray chose not to disclose specific financial details of the fair’s ownership, he affirmed the commitment to creating an event that resonates with both local and international audiences. As Hong Kong gears up for this exciting new addition to its cultural calendar, the city stands ready to solidify its status as a global hub for contemporary photography. The anticipation is building, and the art world will undoubtedly have its eyes on Hong Kong come next March.
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