TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1984
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IMPORTANCE OF ARTS SPONSORSHIP STRESSED
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SPONSORSHIP IS OF GROWING IMPORTANCE TO THE ARTISTIC WORLD AND OFFERS CONSIDERABLE SCOPE FOR EXPANSION IN HONG KONG, THE COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR CLIVE OXLEY, SAID TODAY.
HE SAID THERE WAS PERHAPS A NEED IN HONG KONG TO CONSIDER AFRESH THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A HONG KONG BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP ASSOCIATION ALONG THE LINES OF SIMILAR ORGANISATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND AUSTRALIA,
MR OXLEY, WHO IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL FOR PERFORMING ARTS, WAS SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTHWEST.
HE SAID THAT SUCH AN ASSOCIATION COULD PROVIDE A SERVICE TO POTENTIAL SPONSORS BY, FOR EXAMPLE, SEEKING EVENTS FOR THEM,
+ IT COULD ALSO ACT AS A CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION FOR BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS WITH ARTS BODIES AND GROUPS,+ HE ADDED.
+COULD I SUGGEST THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY MIGHT BE THE DRIVING FORCE IN THIS VENTURE? IF IT THINKS THE FORMATION OF SUCH AN ASSOCIATION WOULD BE USEFUL, I AM SURE THE COUNCIL FOR PERFORMING ARTS WOULD EXPLORE WAYS OF GETTING IT UP AND RUNNING, MR OXLEY SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT SPONSORSHIP OF THE ARTS AS A MEANS OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD BOTH FOR ARTISTIC ORGANISATIONS AND FOR THE COMPANIES OFFERING THE SPONSORSHIP.
+THE EXTENT TO WHICH SPONSORSHIP CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL FUNDING OF THE ARTS VARIES MARKEDLY FROM TERRITORY TO TERRITORY, HE POINTED OUT.
IN BRITAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, ARTISTIC ORGANISATIONS RELY HEAVILY ON PUBLIC SECTOR FINANCING. ABOUT 90 PER CENT OF ARTS FUNDING COMES FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE AND 10 PER CENT IS DERIVED PRIVATELY, SOME BY DONATION BUT MOST OF IT BY SPONSORSHIP,
NOTING THAT THE REVERSE IS TRUE IN THE UNITED STATES, MR OXLEY SAID, + THE FIGURES I HAVE TO HAND INDICATE THAT ONLY SEVEN PER CENT OF ARTS FUNDING IS DERIVED FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE WITH 93 PER CENT BEING DERIVED FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, VERY LARGELY THROUGH SPONSORSHIP. +
HE SAID THAT IN HONG KONG, FIGURES INDICATED TOO GREAT A RELIANCE ON PUBLIC FUNDING.
+ IF WE EXCLUDE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB, CURRENTLY ONLY SOME THREE PER CENT OF THE FUNDING OF THE ARTS COMES FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THE FORM OF DONATIONS AND BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP, WITH THE REMAINING 97 PER CENT COMING FROM PUBLIC FUNDS.
!+ REGARD
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