Para Site

Para Site is Hong Kong's leading contemporary art space and one of the oldest and most active independent art centres in Asia. It produces exhibitions, publications and discursive projects aimed at forging a critical understanding of local and international phenomena in art and society.

Founded in early 1996 as an artist run space, Para Site was Hong Kong's first institution of contemporary art and a crucial self-organised structure within the city’s civil society, during the uncertain period preceding its handover to Mainland China. Throughout the years, Para Site has evolved into a professional contemporary art centre, engaged in a wide array of activities and collaborations with other art institutions, museums, biennials and academic structures in Hong Kong and the international landscape. After the first year in Kennedy Town, Para Site relocated to Po Yan Street in Sheung Wan (at no. 2 in the initial years and at its current address at no. 4 in the last decade). Para Site has been led by Tobias Berger (2005-2008), Alvaro Rodriguez Fominaya (2008-2011) and Cosmin Costinas (since 2011). Throughout its history, Para Site's activities have included a range of different formats, among which a smaller parallel exhibition space, Para/Site Central, hosted by Hanart TZ Gallery in Central (1997-2008); P/S magazine (1997-2006), a bilingual publication which was Hong Kong's first visual arts magazine and a central platform for the development of art writing and of a discursive scene in the city; and the Curatorial Training Programme (2007-2010). Since 2012, Para Site has been running an International Art Residency Programme. Para Site's activities are made possible by the generous support of its patrons.​