XN000022-1981-07-21 — Page 6

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1981

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MR BRAY SAID, HOWEVER, THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT PLAY TOO DOMINANT A ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE PERFORMING ARTS.

THE PERFORMING ARTS ARE POPULAR, AND AN INCREASE IN ACTIVITY IN THIS FIELD WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IF THE PEOPLE DID NOT WANT IT.

MR BRAY SAID THAT 'THINGS COULD GO BETTER WITH A BIT OF EXTRA FINANCIAL HELP' — AND HE FELT THAT HONG KONG INDUSTRY WOULD FIND IT ADVANTAGEOUS TO THINK IN TERMS OF SPONSORING THE PERFORMING ARTS.

ALTHOUGH THE BULK OF HONG KONG PRODUCTS ARE EXPORTED, MANUFACTURERS SHOULD NOT FORGET THE IR ROLE AS EMPLOYERS. MANUFACTURERS WHO SPONSORED THE ARTS WOULD RECEIVE PUBLICITY

IN RETURN.

+EVERYONE LIKES TO WORK FOR A FIRM WITH A GOOD NAME AND SPONSORSHIP OF THE ARTS DOES HELP TO CREATE THIS IMAGE,+ MR BRAY TOLD THEM.

THERE WERE VARIOUS FORMS OF SPONSORSHIP OPEN TO THEM, MR BRAY SAID.

THEY COULD MAKE CAPITAL GRANTS FOR FACILITIES OR FOR GENERATING INCOME, THEY COULD SPONSOR EVENTS, SUCH AS CONCERTS, BALLET SHOWS, OR DRAMA PERFORMANCES, OR THEY COULD SPONSOR TRAINING PROGRAMMES AT ALL LEVELS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THEY COULD ALSO HELP WITH THE COST OF TOURS OVERSEAS BY HONG KONG YOUTH, AND THEY COULD SPONSOR BY DONATING EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS INSTRUMENTS, BALLET MATS, VEHICLES FOR TRANSPORT, OR GIVING CASH.

+SPONSORSHIP OF THE ARTS HELPS THE SPONSOR AS WELL AND WHAT COULD BE MORE SATISFYING THAN THAT, MR BRAY SAID.

HE WOULD BE ONLY TOO GLAD TO HELP ANY SPONSOR FIND A SUITABLE FIELD FOR THEIR SUPPORT, HE SAID.

IN CONCLUDING, MR BRAY SAID: THE PERFORMING ARTS ARE ON THE UPSWING BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE THEM AND HAVE MORE LEISURE TO ENJOY THEM. THE IR DEVELOPMENT CAN BE ENHANCED BY COOPERATIVE EFFORT WITH HONG KONG INDUSTRY AND BELIEVE ME IT WILL HELP HONG KONG INDUSTRY, TOO+.

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