Published: 17:38, October 13, 2026
CityU hosts HK conference on Asian art-tech, cultural innovation
By Wang Zhan
Officiating guests, cultural leaders and international scholars gather at City University of Hong Kong for the opening of the inaugural 10AFEST on Oct 9, 2026. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) hosted a three-day conference that highlighted art-tech and cultural innovation across Asia amid the advent of artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the university’s Indra and Harry Banga Gallery, 10AFEST 2026 gathered around 120 museum leaders, artists, scholars, and innovators from 13 countries and regions and explored cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Held from Oct 8 to 10, the conference included four East-West plenary dialogues, six network presentation tracks, performances, installations, and exhibitions across CityU and partner venues.

Across Asia, technologies such as artificial intelligence, extended reality, and data science are transforming how culture is preserved and experienced, extending art-tech beyond gallery walls into education, research, and community engagement.

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The conference’s four plenary sessions focused on globalization and connectivity, legacy and interdisciplinarity, university museums and experiential learning, and digital museology and intangible collections.

The speakers included Kyong Park, Matthias Böttger, Lu Xiaobo, Alberto Rocca, Jin Jun, Luke Syson, Hing Chao, and Cora Würmell.

A network presentation is underway on the first day of 10AFEST 2026 on Oct 9, 2026. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Charles Chin Ying-on, council treasurer of CityU, said international collaboration lies at the heart of the university’s mission.

“10AFEST exemplifies how art and technology can come together to inspire new ideas and create a positive impact on society,” he added.

Since its inception in 2016, the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery has served as a platform bridging the humanities and sciences.

Founding Patron Indra Banga noted that the Gallery has grown into a vibrant hub for learning and discovery, connecting talent from Hong Kong and around the world.