Art promotion: The bronze artwork "Homeland" created by local artist Li Xue-dun can be found near the Salvation Army Lam Butt Chung Memorial School at Yat Tung Estate.

The Housing Authority has introduced programmes to promote public art at public housing estates. They include establishing the Tung Chung Artwalk and painting wall murals at housing estates.

The artwalk in Yat Tung Estate is a large-scale public art programme launched by the authority in collaboration with other arts institutes, giving a new platform for public art to flourish. It is the first of its kind with sculptures set in the midst of garden paths in a public housing estate.

Twenty-six artworks created by local artists were selected from 316 outstanding submissions for the competition "New Face of Heritage". The first 16 artworks on display since 2002 have been well received and another 10 pieces were added to the collection last month.

The complete collection is displayed in the open space around Yat Tung Estate, forming a trail for art appreciation. It is open to the public year round.

Murals painting

The authority started painting wall murals as early as 1998. Works worth visiting are the 12 wall murals displayed in 11 public housing estates.

The latest wall mural at Yau Tong was unveiled earlier this month. It is an amalgam of the 25 winning entries in the mural design competition titled "Let's Give Yau Tong a New Look". It captures the local heritage and culture in a creative composition and shows the local community's determination to promote sustainable development.

So far the 128-metre long mural at Cheung Wang Estate, Tsing Yi, completed in 2004 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of public-housing development in Hong Kong, is the largest. It is the joint effort of 600 housing tenants, students and the neighbourhood community.

Other wall murals can be found in So Uk Estate, Tak Tin Estate, Tin Yiu Estate and Shan King Estate.