Visual Arts (VA) is a core subject under the Arts Education Key Learning Area in Hong Kong’s primary curriculum. It is not about training professional artists, but rather nurturing creativity, visual literacy, and cultural appreciation through the processes of art creation and art appreciation.

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1️⃣ Subject Goals and Positioning

The Visual Arts curriculum aims to:

• 🧠 Develop creativity and aesthetic awareness
• 🌏 Enhance cultural understanding, including Chinese and multicultural perspectives
• 💬 Foster emotional expression and personal values
• 🔗 Build a foundation for Junior Secondary Visual Arts and the DSE elective

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2️⃣ Curriculum Structure: The 3 Learning Strands

🎨 (1) Art Making

Art media types:

• 2D Art: drawing (watercolour, crayons), printmaking, collage
• 3D Art: clay modeling, paper sculpture, recycled-material installations
• Digital Art: simple iPad drawing apps, photography

Sample themes:

• Lower Primary: “My Pet”, “Festival Crafts” (e.g. Mid-Autumn lanterns)
• Upper Primary: “Environmental Issues”, “Chinese Paper-cutting and Heritage”

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👁️ (2) Art Appreciation

Art elements:
Students learn to analyze line, color, texture, and composition.
Example: “Why did Van Gogh use swirling lines in The Starry Night?”

Cultural and artist exposure:

• Western Art: Vincent van Gogh, Picasso
• Chinese Art: Qi Baishi, calligraphy traditions
• Local Art: Hong Kong illustrators (e.g. Din Dong)

Learning experiences:
Visits to museums like M+ and Hong Kong Museum of Art are encouraged.

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🧩 (3) Art and Life

• Design Applications: greeting card designs, poster making
• Cross-curricular Projects: collaborating with General Studies (e.g. 3D dinosaur models)

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3️⃣ Teaching Features

• 🔍 Inquiry-Based Learning: tactile exploration (e.g. fabrics, wood, metal) sparks ideas
• 🏫 School-based Curriculum: e.g. campus mural projects
• 🧬 STEAM Integration: combines tech (3D pens), math (symmetrical patterns)

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4️⃣ Assessment Approach

Assessment Type	Focus Areas
Process-Based	Creativity, techniques, participation in making art
Student Portfolios	Sketches, reflection journals, progress documentation
Final Products	Display at school exhibitions or public competitions like the “HK Children’s Drawing Contest”

🖼️ Emphasis is on individual expression and artistic growth, not technical perfection.

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5️⃣ Learning Materials and Resources

• No official textbooks; units are teacher-designed
• Basic Tools: paper, paint, soft clay
• Advanced Tools (in some schools): printmaking kits, digital tablets
• Community Resources: school workshops with the Art Promotion Office

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6️⃣ Trends and Challenges

• 📱 Digital Integration: AR tools to explore virtual art galleries
• 🏺 Cultural Focus: growing emphasis on Chinese art (e.g. ink painting, ceramics)
• 🚧 Inequality in Resources: not all schools can afford space or materials for sculpture

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7️⃣ Home Support for Art Learning

👨‍👩‍👧 How parents can help:

• ✂️ Do crafts together: holiday DIY (e.g. Dragon Boat Festival sachets), nature collages
• 🖼️ Visit free exhibitions using the Museum Pass
• 🤲 Respect originality: avoid imposing adult standards like “make it realistic”
• 🎨 Celebrate effort, not outcome!

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8️⃣ Educational Value

Visual Arts is one of the few subjects that focuses on right-brain development in the Hong Kong primary system. It provides:

• A non-academic platform for student expression
• A nurturing ground for future creative thinkers and designers
• Vital support for whole-person development, especially emotionally and culturally

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🧾 Curriculum Note

In 2017, the Hong Kong Education Bureau updated its Arts Education Curriculum Guide, emphasizing a balance between art creation and appreciation, and recommending 1–2 Visual Arts lessons per week (each 35–40 minutes).

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📌 Disclaimer: Information for reference only. Visit the EDB official site for updates.
✍️ This article is AI-generated and reviewed by Prof. Chan Kwok Wai. Edited by: Kong Yik Leung.