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Kam Tin Mural Village

Challenges and Objectives

Located in the eastern part of Yuen Long District in the New Territories of Hong Kong, Kam Tin boasts a rich and ancient history. Before the establishment of Hong Kong as a trading port, Kam Tin was already home to many Indigenous villagers. There are several walled villages in Kam Tin, with the most famous one being Kat Hing Wai.

Inspired by the mural art trend in South Korea, local secondary school art teacher Kwok Yin-ming hoped to revitalise Kam Tin with murals. She approached the villager and residents to seek their approval for painting on their walls. Since 2017, she has been leading students and volunteers to paint murals in Kam Tin. The aims of this project are to revitalise the local community, express emotions towards Hong Kong, bring arts and love energy into life, and practice the mission of education.

Collaboration Partners and Roles

As the project leader, Kwok Yin-ming, takes on the role of communicating with stakeholders and leads a group of students and volunteers to paint the murals. Volunteers provide suggestions, manpower, and support to the art teacher in painting. The rural committee and property owners provide the consent for the mural team to paint in the village. Local shops and restaurants as well as villagers and new settlers provide their walls for mural painting and contributed painting ideas. Hong Kong Teachers Dream Fund provided financial support to the project. Dulux provided the paint.

Revitalisation Activities

Around 100 pieces of murals have been painted. Some of them reflect the local rural stories and culture, and some of them depict local plant and animal species. Over 200 volunteers have involved in the project. IT volunteers collected data about the murals and created the Kam Tin Mural Village map to help visitors visit the murals and understand the stories behind. The map has received over 1,116,000 views. The Kam Tin Mural Village project is still ongoing, and there are plans to continue and expand it to other villages.

Revitalisation Outcome

The project has enhanced the tourism of Kam Tin, with more travellers now choosing to visit the area as a weekend one-day tour or as a city getaway route. This increase in tourist activity has stimulated consumption and spending in the surrounding local stores. Furthermore, the project has led to the creation and sale of new products, such as Kam Tin Mural Village postcards. In addition, the project has attracted non-mainstream artistic enthusiasts who have moved into the area and set up various businesses such as cafes, restaurants, florist shops, and ceramic stores. This has not only contributed to the growth of the local economy but has also added to the overall artistic atmosphere of the village.

The project has helped conserving historic villages by raising awareness about the importance of preserving traditional and historic sites. By showcasing local artwork in the countryside, the project has also allowed people to appreciate the natural beauty of Hong Kong beyond its iconic skyscrapers and theme parks.

Community empowerment is another significant outcome of the project, as voluntary painters of all ages, ranging from 3 to 90 years old, including both skilled and unskilled individuals, have actively participated in the creation of the murals. This has fostered a sense of community spirit and engagement.

This is the abridged version of a case prepared by AIRI Associate Fellow Lai Kwan Yui Lilian. For further information, please email The University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Civil Society and Governance at ruralsd@hku.hk.