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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts
Culture and Arts Presentations
The LCSD presents quality cultural programmes throughout the year. In 2019, more than 270,000 people attended 907 performances featuring local and visiting artists and arts groups. Highlights included celebratory programmes for the 30th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, presented by renowned artists and groups such as the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle with pianists Emanuel Ax, Colleen Lee and Aristo Sham; Anne-Sophie Mutter; and Cappella Andrea Barca led by Sir András Schiff. Other highlights were The Great Tamer by Dimitris Papaioannou, Xenos by Akram Khan Company, and Terayama Shuji's Nuhikun (Directions to Servants).
Specially curated programmes provide performance platforms for local and visiting artists and opportunities for cultural exchange. In 2019, these series of programmes included Our Music Talents, City Hall Virtuosi, Jazz Up, Music Delight, Guangdong Music, New Force in Motion, Beyond Multi-arts, Cheers!, New Energy and Re-run Run Shows.
The department also organised more than 520 film and media arts programmes accompanied by extension activities, attracting over 73,000 people, as well as 17 major carnivals and territory-wide activities and 594 district cultural programmes, drawing over 1,218,000 people. To promote arts in the community, the department launched the Community Arts Scheme in Wan Chai and Sai Kung in 2019-20 in collaboration with District Councils and non-governmental district organisations. The scheme is proposed to be extended to all 18 districts to replace the District Free Entertainment Programmes, which have been organised since 1968.
Arts Education and Audience-building Projects
In 2019, the department organised 1,174 arts education and audience-building activities in schools, community halls and other public venues to promote the arts and encourage participation in cultural activities.
The department sought to motivate students to engage in arts and cultural activities by extending its collaboration with the Education Bureau in designing arts education programmes which tied in with the school curriculum. The department also runs the Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme.
Greater Bay Area Cultural Exchange
The department is supporting more local arts groups and artists to take their art to cities within the Greater Bay Area. In 2019, a collaboration network with major venue operators in the Greater Bay Area was established, and 96 performances and cultural exchange activities were presented in seven cities, attracting over 37,000 people.
Major Culture and Arts Events
Hong Kong Arts Festival
The 47th Hong Kong Arts Festival featured over 1,700 international and local artists in 166 performances, with about 420 complementary outreach and education activities, attracting over 300,000 people. The 15 world premieres and 16 Asian premieres included the Hong Kong
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