CityUHK collaborates with Airport Authority Hong Kong to present “City Quest • The Love of Being in Community” Exhibition at Hong Kong and Shanghai Airports
City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), in collaboration with the Airport Authority Hong Kong, is presenting the exhibition “City Quest • The Love of Being in Community” as part of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Arts and Culture Festival 2026. Featuring selected award-winning works from the Smartphone Photo Contest under CityUHK’s community engagement programme City Quest, the exhibition is being held simultaneously at Hong Kong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. It showcases Hong Kong’s diverse, inclusive and vibrant urban charm to travellers from around the world.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong, together with various arts organisations, officially launched the HKIA Arts and Culture Festival 2026 on 4 August. Themed “Resonance of Two Cities – Hong Kong and Shanghai”, this year’s festival is being held simultaneously across Terminals 1 and 2 for the first time. Running for approximately three months, the festival highlights the unique cultural charm of Hong Kong and Shanghai, allowing travellers from around the world to experience the historical heritage and artistic vitality of the two cities.
CityUHK is participating in the art exhibition “Echoes of the Eastern Metropolis: Hong Kong and Shanghai”, which jointly presents the charm of the two cities through photography. The exhibition brings together photographic works from Hong Kong and Shanghai, inviting audiences to appreciate the unique humanistic landscapes, cultural depth and urban appeal of these two international metropolises.
Among the exhibits, “City Quest • The Love of Being in Community” features selected award-winning photos from City Quest. Captured by citizens using smartphone cameras, the works freeze moments of Hong Kong’s diverse architecture and everyday life, capturing the most genuine warmth of the city. The companion exhibition “The City of Reflection • Shanghai's Time Capsule” showcases works by renowned photographers Zheng Xianzhang, Gong Chao, and Nice. They chronicle decades of Shanghai's urban evolution through humanistic photography and drone photography.
Together, the two exhibitions serve as precious visual time capsules, documenting the unique cultural heritage, historical imprints and enduring vitality of both cities.
Professor Alvin Yip, Director of Indra and Harry Banga Gallery and Adjunct Professor of Architecture at CityUHK, who served as a member of the judging panel for the City Quest Smartphone Photo Contest, attended the event. He shared the concept behind the exhibition with guests and introduced the selected award-winning works on display.
The exhibition is being held in the Arrivals Hall (Level 5) of Terminal 2 at HKIA and at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Through this international gateway, CityUHK aims to actively respond to the “Tourism is Everywhere in Hong Kong” initiative, tell the story of Hong Kong to the world, and promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand.
Since its launch last year, City Quest has encouraged members of the public and students to rediscover Hong Kong through the Story Writing Competition, the Docent Ambassadors and the Smartphone Photo Contest. This airport exhibition extends the programme’s achievements onto the international stage, allowing more travellers to experience the warmth of Hong Kong people and the city’s stories through the photos.