Cover ‘Shape of Grace’ by the Hong Kong Ballet, which is one of the highlighted arts events in October in Hong Kong (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Ballet)
‘Shape of Grace’ by the Hong Kong Ballet, which is one of the highlighted arts events in October in Hong Kong (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Ballet)
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From Halloween concerts and a silk treasures exhibition to a ballet gala and Verdi’s ‘Aïda’, October in Hong Kong is rich with cultural highlights and arts events.
October in Hong Kong is a month where celebration meets sophistication. Alongside the festive spirit of National Day, Mid-Autumn Festival and Halloween, the city’s cultural calendar offers a spectacular line-up of world-class events. Opera lovers can revel in Verdi’s Aïda, staged with full grandeur at the Cultural Centre, while ballet aficionados will be treated to a one-night-only gala featuring global stars. At the Hong Kong Palace Museum, A History of China in Silk unveils centuries of textile artistry, and for those seeking something after dark, Germán Cornejo Dance Company brings tango’s irresistible fire to Halloween weekend.
Read on to find out more.
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1. ‘Lazarus Chan: Poetics Policy’
Above ‘In-Visible Projection’ (2025) by Lazarus Chan, one of the arts events in October (Photo: courtesy of the artist and De Sarthe)
‘In-Visible Projection’ (2025) by Lazarus Chan, one of the arts events in October (Photo: courtesy of the artist and De Sarthe)
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When: Until November 15
Where: De Sarthe, 2/F, Block A, Vita Tower, 29 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang
What: Hong Kong artist Lazarus Chan’s first solo exhibition inaugurates De Sarthe’s new contemporary space with an ambitious exploration of art, policy-making and machine intelligence. The show features multimedia and interactive installations driven by custom AI systems yet guided by Chan’s hand. From coded projections and AI-generated almanacs to surveillance-inspired works and speculative interstellar simulations, Poetics Policy examines the blurred boundaries between human and machine, creativity and control, and considers how policy—from governance to technology and art—shapes both perception and collective futures.
2. ‘Lui Shou-kwan: Artist Teacher Scholar’
Above ‘‘Lui Shou-kwan: Artist Teacher Scholar’ at Alisan Fine Arts (Image: courtesy of Alisan Fine Arts)
‘‘Lui Shou-kwan: Artist Teacher Scholar’ at Alisan Fine Arts (Image: courtesy of Alisan Fine Arts)
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When: Until December 6
Where: Alisan Fine Arts, 21/F, Alisan Fine Arts, 1 Lyndhurst Tower, Central
What: Marking 50 years since the passing of ink art master and educator Lui Shou-kwan, Alisan Fine Arts presents an exhibition of about two dozen works spanning his career from 1951 to 1972. The Guangzhou-born painter, founder of the Hong Kong New Ink Movement, influenced generations of artists as a bold innovator, tireless educator and fierce scholar.
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3. ‘Stay connected: Navigating the Cloud’
Above An artwork from ‘Stay Connected: Navigating the Cloud’ at Tai Kwun (Image: courtesy of Tai Kwun)
An artwork from ‘Stay Connected: Navigating the Cloud’ at Tai Kwun (Image: courtesy of Tai Kwun)
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When: Until January 4, 2026
Where: Tai Kwun Contemporary, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road
What: Stay Connected: Navigating the Cloud is the first chapter of Stay Connected: Art and China Since 2008, a two-part exhibition at Tai Kwun Contemporary. Spanning all three floors of JC Contemporary and the F Hall Gallery, it presents over 50 works, including new commissions, by more than 35 artists and collectives such as Li Shuang, Miao Ying, Wong Ping, Sun Yuan and Peng Yu and Xijing Men. Organised in eight thematic sections, the exhibition explores digital culture, AI, online communities, and shifting labour in the internet age, inviting audiences to reflect on connections across digital and physical realms.
4. ‘A History of China in Silk’
Above ‘A History of China in Silk’, an arts event in October 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Palace Museum)
‘A History of China in Silk’, an arts event in October 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Palace Museum)
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When: October 1, 2025 to April 6, 2026
Where: Hong Kong Palace Museum, 8 Museum Drive, West Kowloon
What: Hong Kong-based collector Chris Hall has pledged to donate nearly 3,000 Chinese textiles to the museum in 2034. Ahead of this, the Hong Kong Palace Museum showcases more than 100 treasures from his holdings, dating from the Warring States period (475–221 BCE) to the early 20th century. Highlights include embroidered silk badges adorned with birds and mythical creatures, once embellishing the robes of Ming and Qing officials. Together, the pieces weave a vivid portrait of China’s society, dress systems and cultural exchanges through the centuries.
5. ‘Kim Sangdon: The Eggs’
Above ‘Kim Sangdon: The Eggs’ (Image: Instagram/@sangdon_kim_73 and @phdgroup.art)
‘Kim Sangdon: The Eggs’ (Image: Instagram/@sangdon_kim_73 and @phdgroup.art)
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When: October 4 to November 22
Where: PHD Group, Causeway Bay (visit by appointment)
What: Born into a family of shamans, Korean artist Kim Sangdon explores contemporary spiritual practices that might address historical traumas of dispossession and displacement. In his first Hong Kong solo show, Kim employs the humble egg as a metaphor for collective growth in a fractured world, through sculptures, performances and installations centred on healing, protest and communal ritual.
6. Fine Art Asia
Above Fine Art Asia (Image: Instagram/@fineartasia)
Fine Art Asia (Image: Instagram/@fineartasia)
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When: October 4 to 7
Where: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai
What: One of Asia’s leading fine art fairs returns with an exquisite display spanning more than 5,000 years of cultural history. From ancient Chinese bronzes to contemporary works, the fair offers museum-quality pieces across art and design, Japanese and Chinese crafts, ink art and photography.
7. ‘Verdi’s Aïda’
Above ‘Verdi’s Aïda’, an arts event in December (Image: courtesy of Hugo de Ana and Opera Hong Kong)
‘Verdi’s Aïda’, an arts event in December (Image: courtesy of Hugo de Ana and Opera Hong Kong)
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When: October 9 to 12
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
What: Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic four-act opera Aïda remains his most celebrated work since its 1871 premiere in Cairo. Set in Old Kingdom Egypt, it tells the imaginary story of Ethiopian slave Aïda, torn between her love for Egyptian warrior Radamès and loyalty to her homeland. A new local production—helmed by opera singer Warren Mok—will bring Verdi’s masterpiece to life in full dramatic splendour.
8. ‘Shape of Grace’
Above From left: Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijasenko, who will be performing in ‘Shape of Grace’ with the HKBallet, which is one of the arts events in October (Photo: Instagram/@nicolettamanni e @timandrijashenko)
From left: Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijasenko, who will be performing in ‘Shape of Grace’ with the HKBallet, which is one of the arts events in October (Photo: Instagram/@nicolettamanni e @timandrijashenko)
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When: October 15
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
What: Hong Kong Ballet puts on a one-night-only show where some of the ballet world’s biggest stars will grace the stage: Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijasenko, principal dancer étoile and principal dancer from La Scala; Natalia Osipova, The Royal Ballet’s principal dancer; Julian MacKay, a principal dancer from Bavarian State Ballet.
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9. ‘Renée Fleming: Voice of Nature’
Above Renée Fleming, who will perform at the HKPhil’s ‘Voice of Nature’, an arts event in October (Photo: courtesy of Marvin Joseph)
Renée Fleming, who will perform at the HKPhil’s ‘Voice of Nature’, an arts event in October (Photo: courtesy of Marvin Joseph)
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When: October 24 and 25
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
What: Five-time Grammy winner Renée Fleming performs her Grammy Award-winning album Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The programme spans Handel to Canteloube, closing with Björk’s All Is Full of Love and music from The Lord of the Rings. A film by National Geographic Society, featuring landscapes from the Amazon rainforest to Yosemite, will accompany the performance.
10. Spooky Halloween
When: October 24 to November 2
Where: Wan Chai Harbourfront Event Space, Wan Chai
What: Hong Kong’s first-ever Halloween music carnival brings together Cantopop, EDM and hip-hop stars, including Hins Cheung, MC Cheung, Mayao and JW Wong. Alongside live music, visitors can enjoy carnival games, a glowing field of jack-o’-lanterns, an illusion maze and a “bizarre” bazaar.
11. The Hertz at Tides
Above A poster of The Hertz’s upcoming performance at Tides, which is one of the arts events in October (Image: courtesy of Live Nation)
A poster of The Hertz’s upcoming performance at Tides, which is one of the arts events in October (Image: courtesy of Live Nation)
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When: October 31 to November 1
Where: Tides, Site 6, Whampoa Garden, 1 Tak On Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon
What: Global live entertainment brand Live Nation launches its new performance venue Tides at the iconic Whampoa ship‑shaped landmark this October. Local indie band The Hertz will christen the stage with a provocative two‑night concert exploring the blurred lines between “normality” and “madness”. Known for bold stagecraft and international festival appearances, the band promises surprises, new album debuts and a liberating night of music without labels.
Don’t miss: Inside Live Nation’s new live music venue, Tides
12. ‘Tango After Dark’
Above ‘Tango After Dark’, which is one of the arts events in October (Photo: courtesy of Danny Kaan)
‘Tango After Dark’, which is one of the arts events in October (Photo: courtesy of Danny Kaan)
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When: October 31 to November 2
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
What: Led by world champion tango dancer Germán Cornejo, this theatrical staging of Argentina’s most iconic social dance features ten performers and a live band interpreting Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla’s revolutionary tango scores. With its blend of sensuality, speed and precision, Tango After Dark captures the magnetic power of tango while expanding its boundaries as a stage art form.
13. ‘Ephememo-ries: Till Next Time’
Above ‘Ephememo-ries: Till Next Time’ at The Corner Shop, Mondrian Hong Kong
‘Ephememo-ries: Till Next Time’ at The Corner Shop, Mondrian Hong Kong
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When: until mid-November
Where: The Corner Shop, opposite Mondrian Hong Kong, 11A-D, 8A Hart Avenue
What: This October, catch Ephememories: Till Next Time at The Corner Shop in Mondrian Hong Kong. It’s part of the 10th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture, a cross-boundary cultural project between Hong Kong and Shenzhen that reflects on art in urban spaces.
The exhibition turns a nostalgic telephone booth into an interactive time tunnel where guests can share memories of Tsim Sha Tsui, which, through the use of AI, gets transformed into visual language. The exhibition reimagines forgotten objects (like the telephone booth) and how we interact with public spaces—giving old objects new purpose.
Make an evening of it by heading to Mondrian’s famed steakhouse Carna for the limited-time Butcher’s Secret Cut series: rare cuts such as full-blood Australian wagyu short rib eye and the Australian pardoo tri-top, ten portions only on Thursday and Sunday evenings. We love it when arty meets hearty.
14. Green Sunday by the Bay
Above Let your creative juices flow at the artisanal workshops at Green Sunday by the Bay
Let your creative juices flow at the artisanal workshops at Green Sunday by the Bay
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When: October 26 and November 23
Where: The Repulse Bay Arcade
What: The Repulse Bay’s beloved culture and wellness event returns with family-friendly festivities and seaside activities. Enjoy Halloween storytelling, sing-alongs and dance parties, or try your hand at artisanal workshops that offer the chance to craft chocolate cupcakes and Japanese moss balls using locally grown ingredients. Fitness enthusiasts can join breathtaking sea-view yoga and Pilates classes, or try outdoor spinning sessions overlooking the bay. Browse the Green Market’s curated selection of organic wines, artisan cheeses, and sustainable produce from local vendors.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
