XN000022-1981-07-21 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1981

MANUFACTURERS URGED TO SUPPORT PERFORMING ARTS

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THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION OF INTEREST' IN THE PERFORMING ARTS IN HONG KONG AND MANUFACTURERS COULD HELP IN THIS FIELD OF ACTIVITY BY GIVING THE IR SUPPORT THROUGH SPONSORSHIP, MR DENIS BRAY, SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS SAID TODAY, AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES.

AND, BECAUSE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY EMPLOYS 40 PER CENT OF THE WORK FORCE, AND THE WORKERS ARE AMONG THE PEOPLE IN THE EXPLOSION OF INTEREST IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, THE SUBJECT ON WHICH HE WAS SPEAKING TO MANUFACTURERS WAS NOT AS ODD AS ONE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT, MR BRAY TOLD HIS AUDIENCE.

THE GOVERNMENT WAS HELPING THE PEOPLE IN PROMOTING THE ARTS AND HE FELT THAT AS THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE, THE MANUFACTURERS MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO HELP.

AS A RESULT OF THIS SURGE OF INTEREST, AND THE GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT, AN ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS WOULD SHORTLY BE FORMED TO ADVISE GOVERNMENT ON HOW IT SHOULD ASSIST, MR BRAY EXPLAINED.

MR BRAY SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN PERFORMING ARTS WAS +TO PROMOTE THE IR DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH+. THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH AT PRESENT OPERATED THE MUSIC OFFICE, WHICH PROVIDES INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND IN ADDITION, GOVERNMENT ALSO GAVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO A NUMBER OF

ORGANISATIONS, SUCH AS THE HONG KONG ARTS FESTIVAL, THE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, THE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC TO ENSURE THAT THE IR SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE AT A PRICE THE PUBLIC CAN REASONABLY AFFORD'.

THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT PAY FOR EVERYTHING, BUT IT

ENCOURAGED THE COOPERATION AND SHARING OF RESOURCES BETWEEN ARTS ORGANISATIONS, PROVIDED A LINK WITH LOCAL AND OVERSEAS SOURCES OF EXPERTISE, AND PROVIDED A CENTRAL POINT FOR COLLABORATION AND CONTACT. IT SAW ITS JOB, THEREFORE, AS PROVIDING THE NECESSARY INFRA-STRUCTURE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERFORMING ARTS, BY HELPING TO PROVIDE AS FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS AS POSSIBLE, BY OFFERING FINANCIAL HELP, PROVIDING VENUES, ASSISTING WITH ACCESS TO EXPERTISE, AND ENCOURAGING COOPERATION.

AS THE GOVERNMENT WAS GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, IT WAS FELT 'HIGH TIME' ITS ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA WERE BROUGHT UNDER THE SCRUTINY OF A PUBLIC BODY PLANNED ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.

THE

/MR BRAY