How do you define Great? For Liza Ho, Great is in the small things that add up to something bigger – whether it’s having breakfast with her kids, catching up with friends or having an exciting conversation with an artist that leads to meaningful projects at her arts hub, the Zhongshan Building. Liza is also the founder of The Back Room, a cozy gallery space within the building where artists can gather and exchange ideas, and make great things happen.
Why did you start the arts hub, Zhongshan Building, and The Back Room, a gallery space in the building?
The idea of creating an arts hub and gallery space came after many conversations with artists and the creative community. Through these discussions we realised that if we all worked together, we could do more things together. So, I wanted to create a space where artists could exchange ideas and collaborate with others. And so far, we’ve seen lots of good, meaningful projects come out of the conversations artists have had with one another, whether it’s a musician exchanging ideas with a fashion designer or a writer brainstorming with an artist.
"Great can be in the small things that add up to something more meaningful, like having breakfast with my kids, having a great conversation with an artist or catching up with friends."
How did you balance taking care of the arts scene and taking care of your children?
I think, like any other mother, it’s always a challenge is to balance life and work. But I'm very lucky to have my family support me. They’d take care of the kids so that I can focus on managing the building.
In your words, what does it mean to ‘Reach for Great’?
To me, to Reach for Great is to honour my commitment to empower the artists and community. I want to help connect the dots, bring their ideas to life and push the boundaries of the creative scene.
What keeps you going every day?
Coffee! But aside from that, I believe that there’s much more we need to do in the creative scene. I want to foster an environment that is more creative and encourages critical thinking. One that is for everyone and for my children as well.