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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987
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FIRM BASE ESTABLISHED FOR ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS
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A FIRM BASE HAS BEEN SECURED FOR THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE HONG KONG ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS AS AN INSTITUTION OF INTERNATIONAL STANDING, THE HON HELMUT SOHMEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY ́ (WEDNESDAY).
TABLING THE FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ACADEMY, MR SOHMEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF THE ACADEMY, SAID THAT DURING THE 1985-86 SESSION THE INSTITUTION HAD FACED THE DOUBLE CHALLENGE OF ESTABLISHING NEW TEACHING COURSES AND OF SETTLING INTO A NEW BUILDING OF CONSIDERABLE DIVERSITY AND COMPLEXITY.
HOWEVER, MOST OF THE INITIAL PROBLEMS WERE BEING SOLVED, HE SAID.
ARRANGEMENTS HAD ALSO BEEN MADE TO MANAGE AND LET ACADEMY VENUES ON A COMMERCIAL BASIS. TO ENRICH FURTHER THE CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THE TERRITORY AND TO GENERATE SOME LIMITED REVENUE, HE ADDED.
+THE ACADEMY IS PRESENTLY FULLY SUBVENTED AND NOT CHEAP I SEE NO REASON WHY HONG KONG SHOULD BE SATISFIED WITH SECOND BEST IN AN AREA OF CONSIDERABLE SCOPE FOR ITS FUTURE,+ MR SOHMEN SAID.
IN SEPTEMBER, THE ACADEMY'S FOUR SCHOOLS OF DANCE, MUSIC, DRAMA AND TECHNICAL ARTS COMMENCED OPERATION, ATTRACTING A BODY OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF CALIBRE.
ON THE ACADEMY'S CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY, MR SOHMEN SAID IT HAD RECOGNISED FROM THE BEGINNING ITS RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEED TO ESTABLISH CLOSE LINKS WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
AN EXPANDING PROGRAMME OF OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY WAS BEING PURSUED, AND REGULAR VISITS WERE ARRANGED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.
THE ACADEMY WAS OFFERING CLASSES AND SEMINARS ON ARTS FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR SPECIALIST GROUPS, AND HAD ACTED AS HOST FOR CONFERENCES ON THE ARTS IN HONG KONG AND AS A VENUE FOR LOCAL AND OVERSEAS PERFORMING ORGANISATIONS, HE SAID.
REFERRING TO ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME, MR SOHMEN SAID THAT SINCE SPECIALISED TRAINING FACILITIES IN THE PERFORMING ARTS WERE LIMITED IN SECONDARY EDUCATION, THE ACADEMY HAD ESTABLISHED PART-TIME JUNIOR COURSES FOR EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED CHILDREN IN DANCE AND MUSIC.
/+TWO ASPECTS