Community festival features complimentary arts and cultural activities over the whole weekend
Quarryside, a harbourfront community space in Quarry Bay, is celebrating its third anniversary. Launched in 2023, the project has staged more than 1,000 community activities, benefitting over 80,000 individuals. To mark the occasion, the Quarryside Community Festival (the “Festival”), organised by St. James’ Settlement, funded by the Swire Group Charitable Trust (“the Swire Trust”) and supported by Swire Properties, is running today and tomorrow (31st October to 1st November). Over 30 complimentary activities, including placemaking sharing sessions, live music performances on the lawn, pre-registered creative workshops and walk-in arts & crafts experiences offer creative and cultural experiences for the public to enjoy during the weekend.
Today’s opening ceremony was officiated by a host of special guests, including Mr Henry Lai, District Officer (Eastern) cum Chairman of Eastern District Council, Mr Ivan Ho, Chairman of the Harbourfront Commission, Miss Kiki Chan, Commissioner for Harbourfront, Mr Ivanhoe Ko, Assistant District Social Welfare Officer (Eastern/Wan Chai)1, Ms Connie Ng, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of St. James’ Settlement, Mr Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties and Ms May Lam, Director, Group Public Affairs at John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited.
“Over the past three years of operations by St. James’ Settlement, Quarryside has staged more than 1,000 community activities, directly benefitting over 80,000 individuals. More than 160 external groups have applied to use the venue to host events, earning it recognition from cross-sector stakeholders. This weekend’s Festival is a remarkable opportunity for us to collaborate with diverse groups of artists, musicians, social enterprises and creative start-ups to offer a range of rewarding activities, as well as building a vibrant community through co-creativity,”
Said Connie Ng, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of St. James’ Settlement.
“Throughout the last three years, Quarryside has presented a wide range of diverse activities, highlighted by the signature event ‘Quarryside Community Festival’. By capturing the unique perspectives of local residents, the Festival presents the stories of the Eastern District in a creative way, transforming Quarryside into a unique public space, also as one of the cultural landmarks in the District. I am deeply convinced that Quarryside will continue to serve as an exemplar for cross-sector collaborations, deepening the tripartite partnership among the Government, NGOs and the private sector to deliver people-centric programmes that are both innovative and impactful,”
Said Henry Lai, District Officer (Eastern) cum Chairman of Eastern District Council.
“Through tripartite collaboration among the Government, social welfare organisations and the private sector, Quarryside has been transformed over the past three years into a diverse and creative public space in the Eastern District, with events of various scales and types hosted for public participation, reflecting the ‘vision-driven’ development approach put forward by the Harbourfront Commission and promoting integration of the harbourfront into the daily lives of the public,”
Said Ivan Ho, Chairman of the Harbourfront Commission.
“As Quarryside celebrates its third anniversary, it is wonderful to see a vacant site become a vibrant community space, one that has welcomed thousands of visitors through its arts, cultural and community programmes. The Swire Trust and Swire Properties are proud to have supported Quarryside’s growth, a reflection of the values our two organisations share. Swire Properties has deep roots in Quarry Bay, and our placemaking philosophy of creating places that bring people together goes hand in hand with the Swire Trust’s collaborative spirit of working with partners to create lasting positive impact for the community,”
Said Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties.
Flagship community arts project
The Festival features a flagship, cross-disciplinary community arts project, the “Hear and Thereafter: Community Story-Gathering and Soundwalk Experience” exhibition. Over the past six months, participating artists and community members have collaborated to uncover unique tales from Eastern District by making sound recordings and collecting stories. This exhibition showcases sound installations featuring city soundscapes from the Eastern District, co-created by sound artist Kan Heichun (also known as “AK”) and community members. In addition, a series of community zines written and designed by residents are on display, capturing their unique perspectives and observations.
Experiencing the healing power of music
Experiencing the healing power of music
“Live on the Lawn: World Music Experience”, curated and produced by local music organisation Drip Music will be held tomorrow (1st November). African music group ONE Harmony Drumming Factory will perform using a variety of instruments, accompanied by interactive elements such as dance, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in the vibrant and energetic rhythms of African music. The concert will also feature musician Hakgwai, who plays a variety of ethnic instruments and music inspired by natural sounds. Hakgwai will also share simple mindfulness practices with the audience, such as focusing on breathing, heartbeat and adjusting body posture, guiding participants to relax their minds and bodies. Through these interactive moments, the event invites participants to enjoy the green space of Quarryside and experience the healing power of sound.
A series of walk-in workshops will also be available, including the Seed Paper Cookies Workshop, Moving Sand Art Workshop, Fabric Patch DIY Workshop and the Creative Mini Market & Experience, featuring locally designed products and emphasising wellness.
Quarryside is operated by St. James’ Settlement, with funding support from the Swire Trust. Swire Properties also provided consultancy support for the design and construction of the community space, as well as its operations. Quarryside provides a vibrant community space that offers diverse programmes to strengthen community connections and promote creativity, wellness and sustainable living.
