Beyond Writing: Exploring Pedagogies for Nurturing “Artistic Writers” in Creative Writing Training at Hong Kong Metropolitan University

The unique structure and history of the Department of Creative Arts of Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU; formerly the Open University of Hong Kong) enables the integration of cinematic arts, animation and visual special effects, photography and visual arts, creative advertising and media design, creative industries, etc., into the realm of creative writing. At the same time, the Department works closely with the University’s Tin Ka Ping Centre of Chinese Culture to bring Chinese cultural elements into creative works through the integration of creative writing and arts, earning much success in several cases. This paper discusses how the Department of Creative Arts of Hong Kong Metropolitan University integrates creative writing training into inter-disciplinary and inter-media teaching activities, which successfully allow students in universities, and secondary and primary schools to gain the learning experience appropriate for the new times. Meanwhile, the Department of Creative Arts achieved the above target of talent training with collaborative creative writing pedagogy and integrative problem-based pedagogy. This paper shall demonstrate Hong Kong Metropolitan University’s innovative pedagogical thinking of nurturing “artistic writers” with the following cases: The winning of the 1st Prize of the 6th National College Student Art Exhibition and Performance in the category of “Exemplary Cases of College Arts Education Reform”, Writer-in- Residence Programme, “Radio Drama X Chinese Culture Project”, and “Moral Education through Animation Collaborative Project”, etc.