HKELD's Editor Chosen to Cover Edinburgh Fringe
31-3-16
Recently, our editor, Meaghan McGurgan was selected for an NIC (Network of Independent Critics) Fellowship to travel to the Edinburgh Fringe. She was selected out of hundreds of emerging art critics and was the only critic selected out of Asia. She will be traveling to Edinburgh to provide valuable feedback to the Fringe and be mentored by established arts critics. The NIC is the only foundation in the UK to focus on supporting the art of criticism. This is the first year the fellowship for international critics launches at the Edinburgh Fringe. Twenty four critics will travel from around the world to cover the festival.
"This is an incredible opportunity for me, as a writer and a member of the Hong Kong art community. I started writing about theatre in Hong Kong because I loved it, and felt there was a lack of a critical voice in our city. I'm happy that the NIC has offered me a fellowship to grow as a writer," says Meaghan.
As media continues to cut their arts coverage, a vibrant community of online arts critics has emerged. Recently, several major publications in Hong Kong have reduced their art coverage significantly. HKELD, helmed by Meaghan, has emerged to become the number one art blog in Hong Kong with thousands of readers each month.
"Digital critical outlets, like HKELD, are continuing to flourish as traditional media readership falls. They provide the necessary service of feedback to artists and often cover shows that are ignored by the media."
The fellowship that Miss McGurgan won will provide her with a stipend for travel and free housing during the festival but since Meaghan is traveling from further away than the other fellowship winners, there will be an extra cost for her travel. We will be doing a small crowdfunding drive to help her cover that extra cost. Expect this to be announced in April. HKELD plans to provide written word and photographic coverage of the Fringe for their readers.