RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
which comprises 15 appointed and two official members, is responsible for advising the government on the development of the performing arts and the disbursement of funds on performing arts activities. It has expert committees on specific aspects of the arts, including music, drama, dance, arts services and Chinese opera, and also advises on general issues such as business sponsorship, promotion of performing arts in schools and audience- building.
The council continued its efforts to promote business sponsorship through the matching grant scheme, under which arts groups receive a dollar for each dollar of business sponsor- ship they secure, up to a maximum of $100,000 for each project. With the objective of promoting local talent, a competition for original script-writing was held for the third consecutive year. A reception was held by the council in June at which business sponsors were honoured with commemorative certificates and awards were presented to the winners of the script-writing competition. The occasion was also used to announce the findings of a survey commissioned by the council on the population's attitude to the arts. The survey provided empirical data for planning and resource allocation for performing arts develop- ment. A summary of the survey findings was sent to major performing arts groups in Hong Kong for reference. Conscious of the need for audience-building, the council sponsored a conference organised by the Arts Resource and Information Centre on developing future arts audiences in October. The conference was well attended by representatives of performing arts companies and school principals.
On the advice of the council, five performing arts organisations—the Chung Ying Theatre Company, the Hong Kong Ballet, the City Contemporary Dance Company, the Exploration Theatre and the Hong Kong Arts Festival - received general support grants totalling about $31.1 million in 1993–94. In addition, $1.5 million was awarded to the Hong Kong Sinfonietta as a seeding grant and about $4.1 million to other local performing arts groups as grants for individual projects.
The rapid emergence of numerous small performing arts companies in recent years has led to increased demands for financial support from government. To meet these demands and to further enhance the development of the arts, in May, the government established an Arts Development Fund under the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation with the injection of a capital grant of $30 million. The money is disbursed by the Secretary for Recreation and Culture on the council's advice.
Performing Groups
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, funded by the Urban Council with contributions from major business corporations, began its 18th professional season under the leadership of its Music Director, David Atherton. The orchestra's Principal Guest Conductor is Kenneth Jean and the Resident Conductor is Yip Wing-sie.
In addition to its regular season and school concerts in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the City Hall and the New Territories, the orchestra made its first and highly successful
visit to Taiwan in May.
The second half of the 1992-93 season featured an unusual Double Delight series of four concerts, each with two soloists either in collaboration with another artist or performing a solo concerto. Well-known artists who appeared included British pianists Peter Donohoe and Martin Roscoe.
341