As the boundaries of art education are being redefined, the role of jurors is no longer to apply fixed standards, but to identify potential and provide pathways for growth. The 2026 HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ART AWARD brings together artists, art educators, and contemporary visual culture observers from Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Hong Kong, and Mainland China. Drawing on diverse cultural backgrounds and interdisciplinary perspectives, the jury establishes an open, rational, and internationally aligned platform for dialogue on youth art worldwide.
From Milan to Los Angeles: The Art+X Practice of the Two Chief Jurors
This year’s jury is led by Chief Jurors Professor Stefania Albertini of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, Italy, and Associate Professor Allen Brewer of Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, United States.
Stefania Albertini: Explorer of Material Poetics and Virtual Futures
Professor Stefania Albertini has taught at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts since graduating in 1991 and brings more than three decades of experience in art education. A distinguished sculptor, her practice spans visual arts, sculpture, jewelry design, and 3D digital art. This interdisciplinary background underpins her deep engagement with the Art+X concept in both theory and practice.
She has long explored the evolving boundaries between art and technology through experimental work and is recognized as an early advocate of integrating art with digital technologies. Her works have been exhibited in Italy, South Korea, Spain, and Belgium. In 2006, she held a solo exhibition titled Anatomical Glimmers at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Contemporary Art Gallery, reflecting her longstanding connection with Hong Kong’s art community.
Over the course of her 30-year teaching career, Professor Albertini has witnessed the development of countless young artists. Her profound insight into materiality, poetic expression, and symbolic meaning enables her to identify creativity and potential in youth artworks from a leading international academic perspective. She firmly believes: “Art is an essential tool for young people to express their inner worlds and communicate their unique perspectives. Every artwork reflects their curiosity about the world and their love for it.”
Allen Brewer: Advancing Art+X at the Forefront of U.S. Youth Art Education
Professor Allen Brewer is Associate Professor of Illustration at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, where he actively advances the Art+X concept within U.S. youth art education. He served for ten consecutive years as a juror for the Minnesota High School Art Awards, evaluating outstanding student works from more than 25 high schools across multiple artistic disciplines. As one of the most influential youth art competitions in the United States, the program provided Professor Brewer with deep insight into the artistic expression and developmental needs of students across different age groups.
In Professor Brewer’s view, “Art+X represents a critical direction in contemporary aesthetic education for young people. By integrating art with diverse disciplines, it enables emerging creators to cultivate open perspectives and reinterpret the world through an aesthetic lens.” This philosophy closely aligns with the core values of the 2026 HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ART AWARD, making him a key member of this year’s jury panel.
The Chief Jury Panel also includes Hong Kong creative innovator Alex Chan, Professor Huang Qian—member of the China Artists Association, member of the Chinese Society for Aesthetics, and professor at the China Academy of Art—and other distinguished professionals.
The Convergence of International Vision and Local Expertise
In addition to the Chief Jurors, the panel features Yusuf, a UK-based independent artist, curator, and collector holding a Master’s degree in Art from Bournemouth University, who has long been active in the independent art scene; Chinese independent artist Chi Xuefei, the only Chinese artist selected by former Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele to participate in a global artist collaboration project; Zhang Cheng, a senior art therapist graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, engaged in Sino-Italian contemporary art integration, whose works have been exhibited at Ermanno Tedeschi Gallery in Turin and permanently collected by the academy; and Li Mingxi, PhD in Art History from the Repin Academy of Fine Arts in Russia and member of the St. Petersburg Artists’ Union, whose graduation work received full marks and was retained by the academy.
Spanning four continents, this jury lineup reflects not only the intersection of diverse artistic traditions and contemporary practices, but also the competition’s commitment to a multidimensional perspective. As a global hub for cultural exchange, Hong Kong naturally serves as a meeting point for varied artistic legacies and contemporary experiences. The jury will evaluate submissions based on creativity, depth of expression, and the potential for developing an independent and critical visual language, with emphasis placed on modes of thinking and perceptual insight rather than stylistic imitation or technical proficiency alone.
A Judging Philosophy Beyond Technique
Within this evaluation framework, each artwork is regarded as an independent and complete form of expression. Artists, art educators, and observers of contemporary visual culture from diverse cultural backgrounds will jointly review youth submissions, creating a more open, rational, and internationally aligned platform for dialogue.
As emphasized by the jury panel: “This is not merely a competition, but a shared dialogue on the future of art education and the value of creativity.”