School Talks
I love speaking to students about working as a writer and illustrator in Hong Kong. Especially given the emphasis on corporate or academic careers in schools, I love sharing the realities of creative careers with young Hong Kongers and showing them how they could make artistic jobs work for them.
FAILURE CLUB
It's impossible not to feel like a failure, at least sometimes, and especially as a kid growing up in Hong Kong.
In Failure Club, we'll unpack what success and faulure actually mean and what they look like. I draw on my own anecdotes of going to school in Hong Kong, handling disabilities, and creating The Hong Konger (which was an initial failure), while outlining frameworks for students to rethink their pathways to long-term success and resilience.
creative careers
Art careers don't make money... or do they?
In Creative Careers, I show the nitty-gritty details of how I turned an iPad art hobby into a profitable business and social enterprise.
We'll delve into what I spent and made in my first three years as a creative, the things I still do to maintain a steady income, and how Hong Kong students can best set themselves up for their own creative careers.
Volunteer Visions
How can Hong Kong students achieve tangible social impact for charities and community initiatives?
In Volunteer Visions, we'll learn the 3 Ts of Charity and brainstorm not only new but also actionable ideas to create change for good in our communities and beyond. I draw on my work at Pangolin Society, my company uses art to fundraise and support local charitable organisations.
Book & Music Talk:The StowaWays Symphony
Get your students interested in music theory and appreciation in this art, literature, and music session.
The Stowaways Symphony was commissioned by the Hong Kong Philharmomic Orchestra in 2023 to teach children music appreciation concertgoing etiquette through fun fiction.
We'll read the story together, listening along to the HK Phil play, and then I get my little guitar out and we try out different fundamentals of music that showed up in the story.
Book Talks
Whether you've read one of my books in class or would just like your students to hear from a working writer and illustrator from Hong Kong, Book Talks are for you.
I'll share the unseen creative and strategic decision-making that went into writing and illustration one of more of my books based on your preference.
To prepare for the talk, we'll have a consultation call to discuss whether you'd like your students to experience a literature / illustration focused talk or commercial / business strategy talk.
Custom Talks
Need a custom school talk about creativity, community or resilience?
I’d love to design a bespoke programme for you. The answer is (usually) yes! If you have a particular set of learning objectives, I'm happy to build custom workshops and talks for you and your students, colleagues, or parents. To get started, please email me at sophia@sophiahotung.com. We’ll have a conversation to review your needs and goals, then I’ll get to work preparing your programme.
Previous requests from Hong Kong educators have included:
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We need a workshop that uses The Hong Konger as a framework to help Year 6s start their IB PYP exhibitions.
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We've been studying The Hong Konger Anthology, can you create analyses on certain specific artworks and poems?
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Parents feel conflicted over letting their children take arty subjects. Can you talk to them?
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Can you do a gap year student training on leadership and resilience?”
Ages & Rates
For 3 to 10 year olds
Book Talk and Music Workshop: The Stowaways Symphony • $1,000
8 to 13 year olds
Book Talk: The Heist of Hooded Light • $1,000
10 to 19 year olds
Volunteer Visions • $3,000
13 to 25 year olds
Failure Club • $3,000
Creative Careers • $3,000
Book Talk: The Hong Konger Anthology • $1,000
For All AGes
Custom Talks • $3,000
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I will be in San Francisco and available for online school talks until October 2024. I am available for on-campus school talks in Hong Kong throughout November 2024.
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The fee includes the first hour spent on campus, preparation, and transport costs. Additional hours are billed at $1,000 per hour
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Workshops and talks can be adjusted to suit your school’s schedule and class time durations. They typically run from 30 to 60 minutes
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All talks can take the form of an interactive workshop for small <30 groups or assembly talk for larger groups
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Fees are not affected by headcount
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I am happy to join students for lunch, breaks, after-school sessions, club meetings, or other events during my visit. All fees are in Hong Kong dollars
get in touch
Email me sophia@sophiahotung.com with preferred dates and talk(s). We’ll have a 15-minute consultation call to review your objectives, ensure the talk materials reflect your goals, and lock in logistics. I am doing online talks from April to October 2024 and on-campus talks in November 2024.
Reviews
Sophia's visit with our Year 6s completely blew us away. Sophia's tailored approach was the perfect launchpad for our students as they embark on their PYP exhibition journey. Sophia's engaging and insightful talk inspired our Year 6s to reflect and plan, as they too begin to communicate their passions into a creative and impacting action. We hope she can do it again next year for our next cohort in Year 6 and for more years to come too!
— Librarian, Peak School
I could really feel that Sophia was a considerate and nice person listening to her talk. In fact, the things she said were the things I was actually thinking about recently a lot and it was nice to know someone else was sharing the same ideas.
— Grade 10 Student, Canadian International School
It was so inspiring to hear Sophia’s story and for her to share her journey on becoming an illustrator and writer! I was especially touched by her patience with the students and how she answered their questions in depth.
— Grade 3 Teacher, Christian Alliance International School
Previous visits
American School • ISF Academy • Canadian International School • Chinese International School • Christian Alliance International School • Harrow International School • Peak School • Renaissance College • Victoria Shanghai Academy • Wah Yan College
PREVIOUS PUBLIC TALKS
Affordable Art Fair • Animation Comic Game Convention Hong Kong • Bookazine • Digital Art Fair • Equal Justice • Eslite • Maison ES • reBooked • Rotary Hong Kong South • TEDxTinHauWomen • The Women's Foundation Gala • Wyndham Social