Excellence in Arts & Culture / Entertainment Reporting
Kelly Yu, “Hong Kong bamboo theater tradition faces uncertain future,”
Nikkei Asia
ABOUT THE WORK: This story stands apart from mainstream coverage by examining bamboo theater culture through the lens of the post-Tai Po fire scrutiny. Instead of just showing a colorful event, the piece explores the existential threats facing intangible cultural heritage in Hong Kong: safety regulations that may ban traditional materials, aging craftspeople with no one to pass skills to, and arts forms performing their final shows. It documents possibly the final performances of Hong Kong's last puppet troupe and a bamboo structure that might be one of the last of its kind.
Kelly Yu is a Hong Kong-based multimedia journalist covering the intersection of culture, politics, and social change. Before joining CNN as a content producer, she was a reporter at Radio Television Hong Kong's English newsroom. Her work has also appeared in ABC News, TRT World, Radio France, and Nikkei Asia. She is passionate about uncovering and documenting untold stories at the heart of her city.
Honorable Mention: Anna Kodé, “A Hollywood Star With a Secret That Could Have Ended Her Career,” The New York Times
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