XN000022-1980-12-13 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1980

SNT INAUGURATES NORTH DISTRICT ARTS ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR CULTURAL ACTIVITY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ARE INCREASING AS PURPOSE-BUILT VENUES FOR THE PERFORMANCE AND APPRECIATION OF MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA BEGIN TO APPEAR, SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY.

MR AKERS-JONES WAS SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION OF OFFICE- BEARERS FOR NORTH DISTRICT ARTS ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION.

+ IN TSUEN WAN, THE TOWN HALL IS ALREADY PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN THE CULTURAL LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

+EARLY NEXT YEAR, THE CHIU LUT SAU HALL WILL OPEN IN YUEN LONG- LATER IN THE YEAR THERE WILL BE THE TOWN HALL HERE IN SHEUNG SHUI, AIR-CONDITIONED BY PRIVATE DONATION.

+PLANS ARE WELL AHEAD TO START WORK ON AUDITORIA IN TUEN MUN, IN SHA TIN AND IN SAI KUNG IN 1981.

WITH THE INAUGURATION OF NORTH DISTRICT ARTS ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION THERE IS NOW AN ORGANISATION OF LOCAL PEOPLE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE ARTS IN EACH OF THE EIGHT NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

HE SAID HE WAS ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED BY THESE NEW FACILITIES WOULD BE SEIZED AND THAT LOCAL ARTS ASSOCIATIONS WOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN DEVELOPING AND ENSURING A RICH AND VARIED CULTURAL LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THEIR AREAS.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST THESE EFFORTS IN TWO WAYS FINANCIALLY THROUGH THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS, AND BY PROVISION OF PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL ADVICE, HE SAID.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID NORTH DISTRICT ARTS ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION WAS AT ONCE A NEW ORGANISATION IN A NEW DISTRICT WITH THE POSSIBILITIES FOR A FRESH APPROACH WHICH THAT ENTAILED, AND AN INHERITOR OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE FORMER TAI PO SIX DISTRICTS ARTS ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION.

IN SUPPORT OF THE ASSOCIATION, NORTH DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE $100 000 TO FINANCE ITS PROJECTS AND ANOTHER $80 000 WILL BE RAISED FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS.

TODAY'S CEREMONY WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY NORTH DISTRICT OFFICER, MR PETER JOHNSON, AND PRINCIPAL EDUCATION OFFICER (NT REGION), NR LEE TSE-CHUN.

AS PART OF THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY, AN EXHIBITION, ALSO ORGANISED BY THE ASSOCIATION, WAS OPENED BY MRS AKERS-JONES AT FIRST FUNG KAI SECONDARY SCHOOL HALL, SHEUNG SHUI.

EXHIBITS INCLUDED PHOTOGRAPHS. CALLIGRAPHY AND CHINESE PAINTINGS BY MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND OTHER EXHIBITORS.

THE EXHIBITION WILL BE OPEN THE PUBLIC UNTIL DECEMBER 17 FROM 9 AM TO 5 PM DAILY.