HKUK Carnival 2026

7–15 November 2026 | HKUK Kingston Community Centre
Exhibition · Craft and Publishing Fair · Workshop · Performance · Food

From 7th to 15th November 2026, HKUK Carnival will take place at HKUK Kingston Community Centre, a three-storey historic building formerly home to a Telephone Exchange and Sorting Office. Once a place that connected people and places, the building will be reimagined as an open and welcoming cultural space to explore migration, memory and cultural identity through conversations that cross borders and communities.

Spanning nine days and two weekends, the Carnival takes the telephone as its point of departure. Imagining signals travelling across time, connecting past and present, the Carnival becomes a conduit that sparks new conversations. The Carnival also offers an opportunity to share the experiences of Hong Kong’s emerging migrant community in Kingston, creating space for exchange and understanding between people from different backgrounds.

Part open house, part cultural gathering, the Carnival will bring people together through exhibitions, performances, workshops, and a craft and publishing market. It welcomes people to meet, share stories and discover new perspectives under one roof.

Through these different forms of expression, we hope to create opportunities to listen to one another, to tune in to the signals, stories and experiences that connect us, even across different places and generations.

Step into the Hong Kong you remember, or discover one you have never known. Here, Hong Kong is not simply a place held in memory, but an evolving idea that continues to travel, transform and grow.

Event Highlights

Exhibition | When Star Ferry Meets Thames

Bringing two rivers together as a meeting point, the exhibition invites four emerging artists from Hong Kong, who are now based in the UK (Po Lam Chan, Jimmi Wing Ka Ho, Lit Wing Hung and Jason Lut Ming Kwong) to reflect on their experiences of migration through photography, sculpture, installation and moving image.

Spanning two floors of a historic building, the exhibition explores the meaning of home through the everyday, personal memory and the experience of inhabiting new places. Through their diverse artistic practices, the artists open up new possibilities for imagining what Hong Kong is, and what it can become.

The exhibition will also feature A Buzzing Witness, a performance work by contemporary performance-maker and independent producer Kiwi Chan. Centred around Lit Wing Hung’s sculptural work, this immersive, site-specific performance creates an organic and evolving connection between performance, space, environment and audience.

Market | From Hong Kong Street Food to Craft and Independent Publication

Our pop-up food night market welcomes walk-in visitors to sample a taste of Hong Kong through a selection of food stalls serving local favourites. From cart noodles to dim sum, there is plenty to discover, savour and enjoy.

The craft market brings together a diverse range of creative practices, including calligraphy, leatherwork, perfumery, postcards, decorative objects and other handmade creations. From printed matter to handcrafted pieces, each work carries its maker’s individual voice while exploring themes of place, identity, memory and everyday life.

The independent publishing market brings together creators, publishers and artists from Hong Kong, the UK and across Asia, showcasing a distinctive range of self-published works, artist books and zines. Participating exhibitors include 51 Personae, Skip Page and RCA Visual Communication, alongside creators from South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia and beyond.

Workshops | More Than Looking

Go beyond simply viewing art and become part of the creative process!

Explore art through a different lens with Seek Otherwise, a public knowledge platform that invites participants to think, question and engage with the exhibition from fresh perspectives.

Create something of your own through a diverse programme of hands-on workshops: craft a unique personal fragrance in a perfume-making session; collect the textures of the city through kneaded rubber on an experimental art walk; discover heritage culture by Hong Kong flower plaque through an accessible, hands-on workshop; change ordinary items into a bookmark at the cyanotype lab.

From crystal crafting and leatherwork to zine making, there are plenty of ways to experiment, make and discover something new. Come along, get involved and find your own way to connect with Hong Kong through art, craft and culture.

The programme also features guided tours, theatre, talks and more. Follow us on social media for the latest updates.

For the full programme, please see the schedule below.

A limited number of complimentary press passes are available upon request, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

For media enquiries, please contact [email protected].

About HKUK Kingston Community Centre

Founded by Hongkongers who have moved to Kingston in recent years, HKUK Kingston Community Centre is a vibrant community hub serving Kingston upon Thames and the surrounding areas. We aim to strengthen neighbourhood connections, foster social inclusion and provide a diverse range of activities and support for people of all ages.

Our community centre offers a wide range of services and activities, from children’s education and wellbeing programmes for older adults to creative arts, local markets and seasonal celebrations.

More than just a place to host events and bring creative ideas to life, we hope to create a space where people can connect, build lasting relationships and find a sense of belonging — a place that feels like home. Whether you are a family settling into a new life in the UK, or someone with an interest in Hong Kong culture, you are warmly welcome to join us in building a diverse, inclusive and connected community.

• Website: https://hk.uk/
• Instagram: @myhkuk
• Facebook: @myhkuk
• Threads: @myhkuk

Appendix: Programme Schedule

Please note that a small number of activities that are already full, or will be conducted in Cantonese only, are not listed in the schedule below.