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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts
effective board practices, strategic planning and risk management. Over 260 NSA representatives attended the seminars in 2018.
'M' Mark
The 'M' Mark system aims to solicit support from the commercial sector and the community for NSAs to develop sustainable major international sports events. Twelve events were awarded 'M'Mark status and/or support packages in 2018.
Corporate Games
The biennial Corporate Games, organised by the department, is a major multi-sport event designed for working people. In 2018, over 9,200 employees from 217 industrial, commercial and governmental organisations took part in 11 competitions.
Masters Games
The department organises the Masters Games biennially to inspire people aged 35 or above to maintain their physical and mental health by competing against individuals of a similar age. The 2018 event attracted 5,094 participants to take part in six sports competitions.
'Healthy Exercise for All' Campaign and 'Sport For All Day'
The 'Healthy Exercise for All' campaign is organised jointly by the LCSD and the Department of Health. It recorded more than 92,000 attendees in about 1,400 programmes in 2018. The LCSD's 'Sport For All Day' every August promotes sport for all in the community by holding free recreation and sports programmes at designated sports centres in all 18 districts and opening most of the fee-charging leisure facilities to the public free of charge. In 2018, the event adopted 'Stay Active, Healthy and Happy!' as its slogan and registered over 220,000 participants.
Hong Kong Games
The Hong Kong Games, held biennially, promotes a stronger sporting culture in the community through competitions and community participation programmes. Open selection of athletes from the 18 districts was launched in July 2018 for the inter-district sports competitions of the 7th Hong Kong Games, to be held from April to May 2019.
Culture and Arts Funding
Capital Funding
The government granted an upfront endowment of $21.6 billion to the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in 2008 to develop the West Kowloon Cultural District so as to meet the long- term infrastructural and developmental needs of Hong Kong's arts and culture. Separately, the LCSD's East Kowloon Cultural Centre was granted $4.17 billion and will be completed in late 2020 to provide a 1,200-seat auditorium and a 550-seat theatre. The government has also set aside $20 billion to improve and develop cultural facilities in the next 10 years, including the construction of a New Territories East Cultural Centre and Heritage Conservation and Resource Centre.
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