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Looking for something fun to do at the weekend? Join us on our HK Urban Canvas 2022 guided cultural tours and explore colourful new street art in Hong Kong! The tours take place between May and July, and offer four routes in three of Hong Kong’s busiest neighbourhoods – Jordan, Quarry Bay and Shau Kei Wan. In Jordan there are two tours exploring different aspects of neighbourhood: “Hong Kong’s traditional arts and crafts” and “‘Little Nepal’ – The Nepali community in Jordan”. In Quarry Bay you can learn about the history and transformation of old Hong Kong on the tour “Quarry Bay: From industrial hub to commercial and residential area”. And in Shau Kei Wan, you can explore the neighbourhoods fishing village roots with “Traces of a former fishing community”. ​This year’s tours are presented in collaboration with the staff of social enterprise Kai Fong Tour, who help participants explore the shutter artworks created by local artists, share the stories behind the artworks, and introduce local cultural spots and communities. The tours are open to everyone. Pre-registration is required. Stay tuned for updates on our website and Facebook page (@HKUrbanCanvas). Jordan Route 1: Hong Kong’s traditional arts and crafts Nestled between the bustling neighbourhoods of Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei, Jordan might at first glance appear relatively quiet and unremarkable. But if you stroll through the side streets and take a closer look, you can find lots of hidden gems – like an acclaimed knife sharpening master, a century-old shop selling fermented bean curd and a long-established jade market. There are also plenty of great old-style places to eat or to buy interesting clothing and groceries. Our docent will lead the public to walk along Temple Street, Shanghai Street and Canton Road, visit the shutter artworks and cultural spots in the area, and learn about local traditional crafts. If you’re looking for a mix of traditional crafts and a close-knit community, Jordan is a great place to explore. Date: May 28, 29; June 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 Time: 12nn  2:30 pm Language: Cantonese Duration: Around 1.5 hour Jordan Route 2: “Little Nepal” – The Nepali community in Jordan The area of Jordan around Temple Street, Shanghai Street, Reclamation Street and Battery Street is sometimes known as “Little Nepal”. Here, side by side with traditional local businesses, you can find lots of small Nepali shops, food stalls and restaurants. Many of the Nepali who live in this area are descendants of Gurkha soldiers. While most members of Hong Kong’s Nepali community speak fluent Cantonese and consider themselves local, they still maintain aspects of Nepali life in the food they eat, the clothes they wear or the festivals they celebrate. Our docent will lead the participants to roam around the Nepalese communities, explore the shutter artworks, and visit local Nepalese shops and the gathering places of ethnic minorities. Date: May 28, 29; June 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 Time: 12nn / 2:30 pm Language: Cantonese Duration: Approx. 1.5 hour Quarry Bay: From industrial hub to commercial and residential area In the 1880s, Quarry Bay was the largest industrial area on Hong Kong Island. It was also home to the Taikoo Dockyard and Sugar Refinery, both of which were owned by Butterfield & Swire. To provide accommodation for the large numbers of workers, the company set up a dormitory complex on the summit of Mount Parker, with health care, education and recreation facilities. They also developed a cable car system – the first ever in Hong Kong – to transport staff up and down the steep hill to and from work. Today, while the dockyard and refinery may have been closed, Quarry Bay remains a bustling hub with busy commercial and residential areas. Our docent will lead the participants to explore the history and transformation of Quarry Bay, and visit the Swire Archives. The staff of the Swire Archives will introduce the precious historical relics of the corporate, recalling our collective memories of Hong Kong. Come and join us! Date: June 4, 18 Time: 10am / 11am / 1pm / 2pm Language: Cantonese Duration: Approx. 2 hour Shau Kei Wan: Traces of a former fishing community Located in the east of Hong Kong Island, Shau Kei Wan gets its name – winnowing basket bay – from the coastline shape of the curved bay now known as Aldrich Bay. In the 1700s, fishing and seafaring families started to make their homes here as the bay provided natural shelter from storms. Over time, the area was urbanised and many of the shipyards and fishing-related stores disappeared. But traces of the former fishing community can still be found in the temples and shrines dotted around the neighbourhood and in some of the existing traditional businesses. Our docent will lead the participants to explore the stories of neighbourhood shops and the strong social ties in the community. Date: June 5, 11, 12, 19, 25, 26; July 2, 3 Time: 2:30 pm Language: Cantonese Duration: Approx. 2 hour

On 23 May, we launch the latest edition of the HK Urban Canvas mobile app – featuring four new cultural tour routes in Jordan, Shau Kei Wan and Quarry Bay, and 21 new shutter artworks highlighting neighbourhood stories! ​ The app includes an augmented reality (AR) function that allows you to view the artworks on your smartphone whenever you wish – even when the shops are open and the shutter art is not visible! You can also take “selfies” with the virtual artworks and share them with friends on social media, check the location of 83 shutter artworks, read about the artistic concepts behind each work, discover exciting neighbourhood stories, and follow 14 suggested cultural tour routes – each supported by GPS to make it easy to locate checkpoints. The updated HK Urban Canvas mobile app is available for free download from the App Store and Google Play!