Group photo with Prof Adam Fingrut, the guest speakers of the Pre-trip Session In collaboration with Good Lab, the Shunde Co-curation Programme: From Research to Community Impact through Arts & Culture was successfully held in March 2026. The programme offered an immersive learning journey for academics and students interested in exploring how research can contribute to community impact through arts and culture. Bringing together around 15 CUHK professors, researchers and students from diverse disciplines—including Architecture, Psychology and Journalism—the programme created a platform for participants to engage with social innovation practices beyond the university and reflect on how their research insights might be translated into community-based initiatives.
The programme began with a Pre-trip Session where participants were introduced to the objectives of the programme and the broader social innovation landscape in the Greater Bay Area. The session also provided an opportunity for participants to exchange their research interests and perspectives, setting the stage for interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration throughout the programme.
A key highlight was the Field Visit to Shunde on 7 March, where participants gained first‑hand exposure to initiatives that connect arts, culture, and community development. In addition to meeting the representative of the 和地在創 initiative, participants engaged with practitioners and curators across several sites to learn how foundations (especially the He Foundation), cultural organisations, and community projects collaborate to foster arts‑led social innovation in Shunde. The group visited the Oyster House Community Art Space (蠔宅藝文空間), which engages local communities through artistic and cultural activities, and the Longxi Academy (龍溪書院), a heritage site led by social workers showcasing community‑making in heritage revitalisation and neighbourhood engagement. The visit concluded at the He Art Museum (和美術館), a landmark institution demonstrating how contemporary art contributes to a vibrant cultural ecosystem.
Following the field visit, participants reconvened at CUHK for a Co-creation Workshop to consolidate learning and explore potential project ideas. Through facilitated reflection and discussion, participants examined how their academic research could intersect with artistic and cultural practices to address social challenges. The workshop encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration and generated ideas related to community storytelling, cultural participation and creative approaches to social wellbeing.
Overall, the programme provided a valuable platform for academics and students to connect research with real‑world practice. Some participants shared insights in class, prompting further discussion. They noted how a heritage oyster house and traditional school were transformed for social purposes, how operators identified target users and developed potential business models, and how engagement with local residents interested in cultural events and social design could inform and expand future research.
For CUHK members interested in developing a new concept or scaling an existing arts and culture-focused project based on their research outcomes, we invite you to join our Impact Consultation Session. Our team will work alongside you to explore collaboration opportunities, identify potential partners and navigate suitable funding pathways to amplify your impact through knowledge transfer. You may reserve your session here.
