Hong Kong’s much-anticipated French May Arts Festival is back for its 32nd edition, running from March 15 to July 13, 2025. Under the vibrant theme “Vive L’art – In Art We Live,” the festival celebrates the enduring legacy of French culture and its dynamic exchange with Hong Kong through a spectacular lineup of more than 60 programs spanning visual arts, music, dance, theatre, cinema, and gastronomy.
A highlight of this year’s festival is The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia-A Conversation, hosted at the M+ museum. This groundbreaking exhibition marks the first major Picasso showcase in Hong Kong in over a decade, featuring over 60 masterpieces by Pablo Picasso from the Musée national Picasso-Paris alongside around 130 works by contemporary Asian and Asian-diasporic artists from the M+ Collections. The exhibition explores the rich dialogue between East and West, tradition and innovation, offering visitors a fresh perspective on Picasso’s global influence.
The festival also promises an immersive cultural experience beyond visual art. The French GourMay food and wine event throughout May celebrates French spirits and culinary artistry with workshops, tastings, and exclusive menus at various venues across the city. Meanwhile, the open-air parade Le Bal at Tai Kwun brings the Belle Époque to life with dazzling performances by dancers, acrobats, and giant puppets from May 9 to 18.
Music enthusiasts can enjoy French cellist Gautier Capuçon performing Shostakovich with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, while ballet lovers are treated to the romantic masterpiece Giselle by the Hong Kong Ballet, featuring star dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet and The Royal Ballet. Contemporary dance is represented by Corps extrêmes, a powerful fusion of dance, acrobatics, and extreme sports that pushes the boundaries of human expression.
The festival’s cinema program, organized by Alliance Française de Hong Kong, screens a curated selection of French films from May 20 to June 4, adding yet another layer to this rich cultural tapestry. Since its inception in 1993, French May has grown into one of Asia’s largest and most beloved cultural festivals, attracting over one million visitors annually and showcasing a diverse range of art forms across multiple venues, from museums and theatres to public spaces and shopping malls. It remains committed to making arts accessible for all through educational programs, workshops, and community outreach.French May 2025 invites everyone to immerse themselves in a sensory journey celebrating creativity, heritage, and the vibrant cultural dialogue between France and Hong Kong.