2026 International Arts Carnival Kicks Off This July

Blockbuster "IMAGINE! PLAY!" Interactive Art Exhibition

in Partnership with First Initiative Foundation and Garden

HONG KONG, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As summer reaches its peak, Hong Kong's most anticipated annual family cultural event officially takes the stage! The International Arts Carnival 2026 (IAC 2026), presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), opens in July with a spectacular summer family arts festival featuring theatre, film, exhibitions, interactive experiences, and more—offering families across Hong Kong a creative and heartwarming summer arts programme.

This year's programme is packed with highlights, headlined by the blockbuster "IMAGINE! PLAY!" interactive art exhibition—a groundbreaking new milestone in Hong Kong's public art promotion. The LCSD, together with Arts Outreach Partner the First Initiative Foundation (FIF) and Community Innovation Partner Garden, brings together deep expertise in arts promotion, community connection, and innovative thinking to co‑present a truly unique public art experience. Music ignites creativity, art touches everyday life, and citizens are invited to explore, discover, and create—feeling the warmth of art within reach, as art becomes part of daily life and creates unforgettable moments for every family.

Children can become "Art Explorers" as they venture into the immersive "Enchanted Forest" art space at the heart of the exhibition. Inspired by the exciting programmes of IAC 2026, the exhibition blends visual art with original music to create a whimsical, fantasy‑filled art environment that encourages children to experience art in multiple ways: discovering hidden details with their eyes, responding to flowing musical rhythms with their bodies, and boldly creating unique artworks with their hands—unleashing boundless imagination and building their own artistic wonders.

The exhibition features four themed interactive zones, each with its own distinct character—balancing dynamic and static experiences, and brimming with fun for visitors of all ages:

Highlights of the Four Interactive Art Zones

1. Little Composer

The centrepiece interactive installation of the exhibition. Each "magic golden petal" on every mushroom holds a distinct musical note. With a gentle touch, children can compose their own unique melodies, while synchronised light patterns shift and respond to the music—transforming auditory art into visual imagery in real time. Upon completion, scanning the "Light Code" (QR Code) on the fantasy room screen lets visitors take their creations home!

2. Blooming Flowers

A paper‑flower garden masterfully crafted by STICKYLINE, reimagining the beauty of nature through contemporary geometric aesthetics. The vibrant three‑dimensional paper sculptures feature rich layers and unique forms, immersing children in an artistic landscape where they can experience the fusion of creativity and nature, sparking infinite imagination.

3. Glowing Dance Meadow

An energetic light‑and‑shadow interactive installation featuring multiple magical illuminated pads on the floor. Children can simply step on them to trigger bursts of light that follow their movements, creating their own luminous art performance using their bodies as the medium.

4. Magic Tree Hollow

A recreation of a mysterious scene from the Enchanted Forest. Equipped with a special "magic torch," children explore this fantastical realm to unlock various hidden glowing patterns throughout the space—each discovery brings new surprises, honing observation skills and a spirit of exploration.

"IMAGINE! PLAY!" Interactive Art Exhibition – Free Admission – Two Sessions:

• 10 July – 2 August | Atrium, East Kowloon Cultural Centre
• 7 August – 16 August | Atrium, Yuen Long Theatre

To bring art closer to everyday life and promote arts education, this year's carnival features the special "Picnic and Play!" themed activity, held at the newly opened East Kowloon Cultural Centre—a state‑of‑the‑art arts technology performance venue launched at the end of last year—and the Yuen Long Theatre, which has served the New Territories West community for many years. The events take place on two Sundays: 12 July and 9 August. The activity redefines the boundaries of traditional arts events, transforming public cultural spaces into cool, comfortable indoor family art leisure havens. With a brand‑new "music interaction + casual picnic + art exploration" format, art steps out of the theatre and into the community, becoming part of family life.

The activity kicks off with a professional yet playful music workshop led by World-Champion harmonica player, Gordon Lee. Through free‑form improvisation and creative interactive sessions, the instructor guides children to unleash their imagination, perceive musical rhythms, and inspire artistic thinking and creativity. To extend the musical joy beyond the event, each participant receives a complimentary harmonica and music booklet—ensuring the artistic experience continues in daily life.

Following the music workshop, an enjoyable indoor family picnic experience begins. As Community Innovation Partner, Garden provides participating families with exquisite custom picnic baskets filled with classic Hong Kong‑style baked treats, along with branded picnic mats. Surrounded by melodious music, families can savour delicious food, chat, and bond—creating precious warm moments together amid the bustling city. At the same time, picnic attendees can also join the "IMAGINE! PLAY!" interactive art exhibition, experiencing family art fun from multiple perspectives.

This interactive exhibition brings together three outstanding Hong Kong creatives, harnessing local creative talent to interpret childlike artistry and enrich the immersive experience for young audiences:

Artist Introductions

STICKYLINE | Geometric Sculpture Art Collective

Founded by Soilworm Lai and Mic Leong, this collective transforms ordinary paper into large‑scale three‑dimensional sculptures and installations with masterful geometric paper‑cutting techniques—like magicians of paper craft. Their distinctive aesthetic has won acclaim from major international brands. For this exhibition, they have created the central centrepiece work that turns children's wondrous imaginations into tangible, touchable realities.

MOON NOON | Innovative Visual Artist

As a forward‑thinking artist of the new generation, Moon uses digital language to transform abstract data into futuristic audiovisual experiences. His cross‑disciplinary work has garnered international attention. In this exhibition, he translates musical melodies into shifting light and motion, immersing audiences in a sensory art experience.

GORDON LEE | World-Champion Harmonica Player

Lee has performed in prestigious concert halls across Europe and America and has collaborated with renowned orchestras. He has studied under world‑class masters, integrating the sheng (Chinese mouth organ) and qigong breathing techniques to develop innovative performance methods, and invented the dual‑resonance harmonica. He has received the ISME Music Advocacy Award and was named one of Hong Kong's Ten Outstanding Young Persons. Next year, he will perform with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in the world's first harmonica‑sheng concerto. For this exhibition, he collaborated with other artists to design the "Little Composer" installation and also serves as the harmonica instructor for the "Picnic and Play!" activity.

Click here to download high-resolution images.

About the International Arts Carnival, the First Initiative Foundation, and Garden

International Arts Carnival – Presented by the LCSD, the International Arts Carnival has been a beloved annual summer tradition since its inception in 1982. Each year, it features over 100 performances and activities, inviting artists from overseas, Chinese Mainland, and Hong Kong to present a diverse and enriching summer arts experience for the whole family.

First Initiative Foundation (FIF) – A registered charity that supports and organises local and global initiatives to benefit the arts, education, community welfare, and promotion of Hong Kong's unique culture on the world stage.

Garden – Rooted in Hong Kong communities for nearly a century, Garden has long been interwoven into daily neighbourhood life—never absent when the community needs support. Evolving from a "product provider" to a "community companion," Garden embodies through concrete action the core spirit of its century‑long journey: Hope, Possibilities, and Community Leader.

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Media Enquiries

Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Email: enquiries@lcsd.gov.hk 

Peter Wong (IPS)

Tel: 2890 7330 Email: peter@ipshkg.com

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