RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
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The office also arranges international exchanges to foster mutual understanding and to broaden the horizons of young musicians. In 1990, the office hosted visits from the Wells Cathedral School Chamber Orchestra from Britain, the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies from the United States, the Scandinavian Youth Big Band, the Australian National Youth Band and the British Columbia Honour Jazz Band. Overseas activities organised by the office included the Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band's participation in the Pacific Basin Band Festival in Hawaii in March, and visits by the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra to Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles in July.
Hong Kong Jockey Club Music Fund
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music Fund was set up in December 1979 with a donation of $10 million from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club for the promotion and development of music, dance and other related activities. It is a non-statutory trust fund, administered by a board of trustees. The fund has awarded 136 grants and nine scholarships totalling $1.9 million this year, enabling young people to study music and dance abroad, and assisting local schools and organisations to acquire musical instruments and dance equipment.
Museums
Hong Kong Museum of Art
The Hong Kong Museum of Art has occupied its present premises in the City Hall High Block since 1962. Work on a new building adjacent to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui was completed in October, and preparations are now being made for the first exhibition and grand opening in 1991. A generous donation has recently been received of the Xubaizhai Collection, one of the finest collections of Chinese paintings in the world.
In its existing premises, the Museum of Art presented 11 exhibitions during the year on local and overseas contemporary art, Eastern and Western art, Chinese antiquities and Chinese fine art. They attracted 432 000 visitors and 110 school parties.
Three exhibitions were organised in association with local collectors and cultural societies, Brush and Clay – Chinese Porcelain of the Early 20th Century selected from the collection of Mr Simon Kwan, Ancient Chinese and Ordos Bronzes with the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong, and an Anthology of Chinese Art – Min Chiu Society.
Significant features of the museum's programme in 1990 included Picturing People – British Figurative Art Since 1945, an overseas exhibition with the British Council; Chinese Antiquities of the Late Qing Period and Hong Kong Calligraphy, selected from the collec- tion of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and Urban Council Fine Arts Awards Winners, a local exhibition featuring representative works from seven winning artists of the Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 1989.
The branch museum, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, continued to stage exhibitions on tea drinking and Yixing tea ware.
Construction of the Sculpture, Ceramic and Print Centre at the Hong Kong Park progressed well. It is scheduled to be completed in 1991.
Hong Kong Space Museum
An exhibit renewal programme for the Hong Kong Space Museum will be completed in early 1991. The 55 exciting new exhibits, most of which are participatory, cost $20 million.