The Arts in a Knowledge Economy: Creation of Other Knowledges
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The Arts in a Knowledge Economy: Creation of Other Knowledges Lynn Foon Chi Yau
Received: 20 June 2011 / Accepted: 21 June 2011 / Published online: 9 July 2011 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011
Abstract The knowledge economy that is so much etched into contemporary collective consciousness is reviewed against the small city of Hong Kong, a large financial hub. In its ingrained and single-minded economic pursuit, the territory’s history and education has moulded it into the international status it is today. Where do the arts stand in the knowledge economy and how are the arts able to contribute to it? By exploring Santos’ (Glob, Soc Educ 4(2):303–318, 2006) sociology of absences and his call for a sociology of emergences, this paper explores the linear, literal and quantitative as characterised by economic development against the arts’ non-literal, abstract and qualitative features. If unchanged, I view the knowledge economy’s goal as a reductionist closed point, whereas the arts offer possibilities into the unknown where creativity is located. Taking Appadurai’s (1996) five “scapes” in the global cultural flow, I propose the sixth “creative learning-scape” led by the arts. In the concluding section, unlike the schooling system, I argue that arts organisations through an arts learning model could be better equipped to lead in knowledge creation for the twenty-first century. Keywords Knowledge economy . Arts . Creativity . Schools . Learning . Arts organisations . Social imaginary . Alternative knowledge
Note on Contributor: Lynn Yau runs the Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection (www.aftec.hk) in Hong Kong, a bilingual theatre with Learning & Participation embedded in its philosophy. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Master of Education in Curriculum Studies from the University of Hong Kong. She is currently a doctoral student at the University of Bristol and the Hong Kong Scholar to the UK Clore Leadership Programme 2010–2011. L. F. C. Yau (*) The Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection, 9C, Wah Ha Factory Building, 1069–1078 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong e-mail: [email protected]
J Knowl Econ (2012) 3:68–87
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Introduction In retrospect, Hong Kong has always been a perfect candidate for achieving great heights as a knowledge economy not in spite of but because of its status as a former British colony and now a nation state under China. For the past century and more, as if in a knowledge economy, increasing technological competence and a competitive outlook moulded this small city to become a financial phenomenon. This sophisticated territory is now at an exceptional crossroad to move in a direction other than wealth creation: Hong Kong has the potential to lead in knowledge creation of a different ilk. Hong Kong, China’s Special Administrative Region (SAR), is on the cusp of a positive crisis in the arts,1 an oxymoronic situation. Whilst spending cuts are being ruthlessly rolled out across the board in the Western world as answers to the global meltdown, the local government has set asid
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