Upcoming | Design Trust Impact Grant initiative Inter-island Festival 2026 returns in November

Design Trust Impact Grant initiative, Inter-island Festival 2026 returns this November 2026 across Cheung Chau, Chi Ma Wan, Mui Wo, and Peng Chau of Hong Kong. Integrating the ferry connection between the outlying islands, the Inter-island Festival celebrates, connects, and builds on the rich and varied cultures living by the sea in southwest Hong Kong. Design Trust is proud to support the initiative as Foundation Partner after championing its 2021 and 2023 editions.

Led by Yip Kai Chun, Islanders and Gloria Furness, this upcoming third edition explores the inter-island region as an archipelago—linked by ferry routes and tides, shaped by the movement of people, produce, folklores, rituals, and ideas. Before the rise of the 'city', these islands formed an independent, self-sustaining world. Today, that continuity remains in the rhythms of sea crossings, in the exchange of resources and rituals, in the quiet openness of island life. Through creations, research, conversations, and journeys across water, the 2026 Festival will invite the public to restore an archipelagic perspective—one of fluidity, kinship, and co-existence, exploring what new futures emerge when the inter-island region is not seen as the periphery, but as a connected, living whole.

Inter-island Festival (IIF) integrates the existing inter-island ferry connection between Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan and Cheung Chau, to celebrate and build upon the rich and varied cultures of living by the inter-island sea. It has completed two editions in March 2021 and November 2023. Spanning over four weekends, IIF 2023 presented over 70 creative and cultural activities in the four ports hosted by over 80 collaborators. While the activities comprise exhibitions, performances, tours, screenings and sharing sessions, many of the IIF’s collaborators are island residents, or researchers and creative talents who are concerned about the region. IIF has engaged community members in the inter-island region and strengthened their bonding. It has also brought the invaluable island life and culture in Hong Kong to light through creative and cultural lenses. The vision of the festival is a long-term endeavour.

Built upon the ongoing island culture research and community engagement, IIF 2026 will further expand research-oriented projects and themes related to the sea, establishing the inter-island region and the inter-island sea as a perceived region in Hong Kong, the city’s indispensable relationship with the sea, and the uniqueness of the inter-island region and Hong Kong in the global network of islands and Island Studies. Design Trust Seed Grant research film “Island of Chicken Wings” led by Bryan Wood, Gabe Singer and Jimmie Lu will also be premiered at the festival.

The festival will launch on Sunday November 1^st 2026 and run through the following four weekends in November 2026. More details on the festival programme will be shared on IIF and Design Trust’s platforms.