The Academy of Visual Arts of Hong Kong Baptist University operates in the interdisciplinary area of artistic practice that lies across and between media. Developments within the visual arts – starting with the Bauhaus-movement in the 1920s, and with a new impetus in the latter quarter of the 20th Century – have introduced new processes and situations, which have resulted in an expanded notion of creative practice beyond the traditional concepts of art and/or design, no longer based upon strictly distinguished disciplines or particular media but are rather a hybrid of many.

Accordingly, at AVA, students are not limited to examine a series of mediums and to potentially specialize in one of them, but are rather encouraged to investigate the idiosyncrasies of their own ideas. It is our belief that the most interesting new work is a product of crossing boundaries between disciplines, conjoining with media outside of established methodologies and canons. We give our students opportunity to develop technical competencies, informed aesthetic judgment, and an understanding of the context in which contemporary work is created, rooted in the ever-shifting cultural climate of creative production.

To be able to do so, the Academy of Visual Arts believes that artistic work of high quality can only be achieved by well rounded, balanced artist-personalities who are willing and able to live up to the responsibilities and expectations of their chosen profession. The staff of the Academy of Visual Arts therefore puts great emphasis on a holistic approach in its teaching, aiming to nurture the personalities of the students through a wide range of experiences. In effect, the Academy of Visual Arts provides academic education at tertiary level that enables its graduates to realize their professional aspirations in the cultural and creative sectors internationally.