The Founding of ADAHK
Inspired by the founding spirit of the ‘Festival of Arts with the Disabled’, ADAHK has turned the vision of ‘Arts are for Everyone’ into a remarkable 40-year journey of shared commitment.
Transforming a Moment into a Movement:
The Birth of Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong
The success of the Festival of Arts with the Disabled resonated widely within the local rehabilitation and arts sectors. Following the Festival’s successful conclusion, various sectors in the community actively advocated for the establishment of a dedicated trust fund. Preparatory work began almost immediately, and Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong (ADAHK) was officially founded on 7 November 1986. At its inaugural General Meeting, the first Executive Committee was elected, with a mission to set a bold direction for the Association’s future development.
The slogan ‘Arts are for Everyone’ embodies the vision of the Festival and has been formally adopted as the core mission of ADAHK. The Association’s English name also reflects the same spirit, highlighting that the arts know no boundaries and that people with and without disabilities should have equal opportunities to access and excel in the arts.
The Missions
On 18 July 1987, ADAHK held a press conference to officially announce its establishment. The Association pledged to promote equal participation by people with disabilities in cultural and artistic activities in Hong Kong and to help them integrate into society. Its goals included enhancing the people with disabilities’ understanding of the arts and culture, exploring and developing their potential, and researching ways to extend the reach of the arts to various groups of people with disabilities. Through organising lectures, concerts, exhibitions, courses, public forums, seminars, and various performances, the Association aimed at fostering an interest in the arts and culture among people with disabilities. On top of that, the Association also pledged to encourage academic pursuits in the arts by providing scholarships and awards to people with disabilities.
Taking Root: The Early Blueprints
At the press conference, the Association also previewed its future work plan, including the Arts with the Disabled Educational Symposium, in collaboration with Very Special Arts International (VSAI), which had already taken place that day. The event brought the Executive Director and five experts of VSAI to Hong Kong to lead specialised workshops in monotype printing, music, drama, dance, mime and puppetry, equipping local rehabilitation workers with the creative tools needed to champion inclusive arts on the ground.
In October 1987, ADAHK joined forces with the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the government departments to present a variety show with stall programmes called ‘Arts for Everyone 87.’ In 1988, ADAHK provided financial support to the Arcadia Drama Group from the Hong Kong Association of the Blind, awarded two scholarships to students of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and presented three scholarships to contestants of the programme ‘Talent Quest for the Disabled 1988’ hosted by Radio Television Hong Kong.
ADAHK remained committed to the Festival’s original mission by providing professional training for frontline practitioners in the rehabilitation field, broadening the scope of inclusive arts and offering financial support to empower people with disabilities. As these initiatives expanded in both scale and impact, the Association created three specialised sub-committees in early 1988 to oversee projects, fundraising, membership and publicity. In the same year, ADAHK officially became an affiliate member of Very Special Arts (later renamed as VSA), firmly anchoring Hong Kong’s inclusive arts movement within a global network.
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