RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
programmes ranging from the traditional and folkloric to the modern and popular. During the year, 425 programmes were organised, attracting 268 860 people. The Arts in Blossom Scheme continues to provide opportunities for budding and amateur artists to build up stage experience through regular performances in open spaces next to the council's major civic centres.
Visual Arts
The council's Best of Visual Arts Scheme provides opportunities for local visual artists to exhibit their works at major civic centres. Under this scheme, local visual artists and art organisations are presented in one-person or joint exhibitions of works of painting, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics and print-making. In all, 14 exhibitions were presented, attracting 9 773 viewers in 1996.
Venues
Most venues for cultural events and sports and recreational activities are built and managed by the Urban and Regional Councils. They range from major venues such as the Hong Kong Stadium and Hong Kong Cultural Centre to smaller indoor recreation centres and community arts centres.
Urban Council Venues
Hong Kong Stadium
The Hong Kong Stadium was redeveloped with a donation of $850 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club. This 40 000-seat outdoor arena can stage world-class sports and entertainment events.
It has become the territory's most popular outdoor stadium since its opening in 1994. In 1996, more than 750 000 spectators participated in 51 events at the stadium.
Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Since its inception in 1989, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre has established itself as a major performing arts venue attracting leading artists from all over the world. The Cultural Centre has three major performing venues: the Concert Hall, the Grand Theatre and the Studio Theatre with seating capacities of 2 085, 1 734 and 534 respectively. In 1996, 693 400 people attended 845 performances in these venues.
Highlights of the year included performances by the Philharmonic Orchestra of La Scala, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Ballett Frankfurt, Halle' Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Maria Ewing, Mstislav Rostropovich, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Viktoria Mullova and Jose Carreras. The Grand Theatre played host to the world-renowned musical Les Miserables and a large-scale local musical Tales of the Walled City and fully demonstrating its ability to stage sophisticated theatrical performances.
The Cultural Centre reaches out to the community. Special free audience-building programmes, education programmes and a Friends Scheme are organised to promote public interest in the performing arts.
City Hall
In the past 34 years, the City Hall has established itself as the hub of cultural activities where performing arts and exhibition programmes are regularly held. New facilities are also introduced in the City Hall. In June 1996, a new City Hall Arts
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