Cultural programmes and arts education (Hong Kong)

LCSD presents diversified and balanced local and overseas cultural programmes throughout the year. Major arts festivals are organised annually, including the Chinese Opera Festival and the International Arts Carnival in summer, as well as the Thematic Arts Festival (The New Vision Arts Festival and World’s Cultures Arts Festival Series in alternate years) in the fall. LCSD also provides funding support to the Hong Kong Arts Festival which is held in spring every year.

Apart from major arts festivals, LCSD also presents quality cultural programmes on a year-round basis featuring small and medium-sized local performing arts groups and individual artists, as well as world-renowned arts groups and artists. Ticket prices of all LCSD programmes are set at reasonable and affordable levels. The nine major performing arts groups (i.e. the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the Hong Kong Dance Company, the Hong Kong Ballet, the City Contemporary Dance Company, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, the Zuni Icosahedron and the Chung Ying Theatre Company), which receive annual subventions from HAB, also present quality performances throughout the year.

To cultivate cultural literacy in schools and the community at large, LCSD organises free arts education and audience building activities territory-wide in schools and in the community.
The Music Office (MO), established under LCSD, provides a variety of music education programmes including music training courses, music appreciation seminars and workshops among the general public, especially the youngsters, in Hong Kong. These programmes cover Chinese and Western music as well as the music of other cultures.

The Music Office (MO), established under LCSD, provides a variety of music education programmes including music training courses, music appreciation seminars and workshops among the general public, especially the youngsters, in Hong Kong. These programmes cover Chinese and Western music as well as the music of other cultures.

Music promotion activities organised by MO are open to all walks of life in the community. Some of these programmes are also tailor-made for the underprivileged.
Programmes presented by LCSD and the major performing arts groups are very well-received. In 2010, more than 1 500 paid performances were staged and about 19 000 audience building and arts education programmes were organised. More than 1 250 000 audience was reached.

Taking into account also the cultural programmes, whether paid or free, organized by various arts organizations, community organizations and educational institutions etc, there were a total of 6 866 performances with an audience attendance of more than 3.123 million in 2008/09, according to the Hong Kong Annual Arts Survey conducted by HKADC.

Besides, LCSD has introduced various cultural programmes to address the special circumstances and needs of individuals or groups. For instance, in support of equal opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in cultural activities and to promote art to the wider community, the Art Promotion Office (APO) collaborated with the Spastics Association of Hong Kong, the Salvation Army, and the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden Corporation to organise a series of hand-weaving workshops and an exhibition for rehabilitated groups in 2009/10.

Apart from the above, the Government has launched various initiatives to facilitate integration of ethnic minorities into the community while promoting racial harmony and diversity of cultural expressions. The Home Affairs Department provides a range of support services such as cross-cultural learning youth programmes, language classes and radio programmes in the languages of ethnic minorities, either by implementing its own programmes or through sponsoring the work of NGOs. LCSD also organizes a wide variety of cultural activities for ethnic minorities throughout the year to encourage community participation.

Since 2001, LCSD has organized outdoor carnival "Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances" annually showcasing traditional music and dance performances by Asian ethnics residing in Hong Kong, in cooperation with Consulate-Generals / Consulates of the Asian countries. In "Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances 2011", ethnic performances of eight Asian countries featuring more than 150 local Asian artists were staged.

LCSD has also organized different art promotion projects in which South Asian children and families residing in Hong Kong are encouraged to join, such as through contribution of prints and paintings on display, interaction with artists to create photographic works for on-line exhibition as well as visits to the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery with guided tours and games.

Besides, HKPL has been organizing activities on reading promotion such as reading programmes, workshops, reading clubs, visits and storytelling for ethnic minority groups in collaboration with different community organizations. HKPL will further enhance connections with these bodies to foster more intensive promotion of racial harmony and library activities to their members.