The mission of the Hong Kong Arts Centre is to nurture creativity, arts and cultural engagement through its two-pronged approach in promoting contemporary performing arts, visual arts as well as film and video arts and in providing lifelong and life-wide arts education.

Home to artists' bold and creative explorations, the Arts Centre in 2004 featured numerous presentations in various art forms, including film and video arts programmes, visual arts programmes, and performing arts programme. The Arts Centre is also the executed organisation of the 'Soul of the City' — International Symposium on Art and Public Space presented by the HAB and co-organised the Book Festival 2004.

Established since 2000, the Art School — the Centre's education arm — offers integrated programmes ranging from short courses to certificate, diploma, higher diploma, associate degree, first degree and higher degree, covering five academic areas: fine arts, applied arts, media arts, arts education and humanities. Since 2003, the Art School has become a recognised sub-degree award granting institution.