XN000022-1981-06-29 — Page 2

MONDAY, JUNE 29, 1981

PERFORMING ARTS COUNCIL FOR HONG KONG ******

AN ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS WILL BE FORMED THIS YEAR BY APPROVAL OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

ANNOUNCING THIS AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA TODAY (MONDAY), THE COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM SA ID THE COUNCIL WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERFORMING ARTS IN HONG KONG,

STEPS ARE NOW BEING TAKEN TO SET UP A SECRETARIAT TO SERVICE THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS SO THAT IT COULD BE ESTABLISHED LATER THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

MR WIGGHAM SAID THAT THE RAPID GROWTH OF PERFORMING ARTS

IN RECENT YEARS HAD MUSIC, SINGING, DANCE, DRAMA AND OPERA →→ UNDERLINED THE NEED TO ENSURE A MEASURE OF CO-ORDINATION AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN VARIOUS BODIES AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED, TO AVOID DUPLICATION OF EFFORT AND WASTAGE OF RESOURCES.

AND IF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO BE EFFECTIVE IN ITS SUPPORT IN THIS AREA, IT WILL NEED TO BE ADVISED ON NEEDS AND THE CONTRIBUTION IT CAN MAKE TOWARDS THE PROMOTION OF THE PERFORMING ARTS, HE ADDED.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL WILL INCLUDE SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BUT THE MAJORITY WILL BE UNOFFICIALS, MR WIGGHAM SAID.

HE DEFINED PERFORMING ARTS AS CHINESE AND WESTERN MUSIC, SINGING, DANCE, DRAMA AND OPERA.

THE ROLE OF THE NEW COUNCIL WOULD BE AN ACTIVE AND POSITIVE ONE, ENCOURAGING BOTH GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR- SELECTING AREAS OF EMPHASIS AND DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING A FORUM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE+.

THE ADVISORY COUNCIL WILL CONCENTRATE ON THREE MAIN AREAS OF ACTIVITY IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON THE PERFORMING ARTS. THESE ARE :

*

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: THESE INCLUDE INTRODUCTORY TRAINING, AMATEUR PERFORMANCE GROUPS AND PERFORMANCES AND DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE DISTRICT TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR BENEFICIAL USE OF THE IR LEISURE TIME, TO STIMULATE INTEREST IN THE PERFORMING ARTS-

Æ TRAINING