Page 67 of 195
102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):—As our distinguished visitors are aware, the Urban Council is deeply committed to the long-term and challenging task of promoting the arts and culture, and thereby enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong people. It is the policy of the Council to encourage, support and groom talented local artists. The Council will, as far as possible, provide local groups with opportunities to perform to enable them to further develop themselves into mature and professional artists. Not only does the Council run its own four performing companies, namely, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, the Hong Kong Dance Company and the Hong Kong Chorus, it also supports other local groups such as the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Ballet Group, the City Contemporary Dance Company, the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra and the Lim Kek Han Philharmonic Orchestra. And this process of supporting even more local cultural groups will continue to expand.
It is encouraging to note that over the years, the Council's four performing companies have contributed much to the development and appreciation of Chinese music, dance, drama and choral music in Hong Kong. Furthermore, their performances continue to reach out to an ever expanding circle of audience both in the urban areas and the New Territories.
The Council recognizes that a community's real wealth is in its youth and that resources spent now on education, training and the provision of recreational, sports and cultural services for young people will pay rich dividends in the future.
With this objective in mind, the Council's four performing companies regularly give free performances to various schools in order to make the performing arts more accessible to students.
In addition, the Repertory Theatre has been organizing the annual Drama Festival every summer since 1979 with the aim of generating greater interest in drama among students and amateur drama societies. The response to this year's Festival was particularly good with the total number of entries amounting to 78 schools and drama clubs. The performances were attended by almost 7000 people, representing 96 per cent of the seating capacity of the City Hall Theatre.
To enable local young artists to perform in public, the Council is presently arranging a series of concerts, entitled 'Platform for Young Musicians Series'. The Platform was introduced only two months ago and it is hoped that it will become a valuable setting for our aspiring young performers to improve their talent by performing oftener before an audience. This programme series will continue until January next year.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 67 of 195
103
One of the best methods to promote the arts and culture among young people is through festivals. Thus, the Council decided in 1982 to organize an international arts festival in summer to provide culture and entertainment for children and young people; each year a different theme is adopted.
This year the Council organized the Hong Kong International Youth Arts Festival to mark the 1985 International Youth Year. The 10-day Festival featured 20 performances by seven overseas groups and four local groups at the City Hall Concert Hall and the Hong Kong Coliseum as well as six free performances at shopping arcades and plazas. The attendance figure totalled nearly 17 000.
One of the Festival performances, the Grand Concert by Young Melodion Performers, brought together 3 000 students from 90 schools and organizations. inspiring sight to see these young people performing together at the Hong Kong Coliseum in the spirit of 'development, participation and peace', which is the theme of the 1985 International Youth Year.
It was an
The Council sponsored Hong Kong Youth Choreographers' Competition held in July and August this year was aimed at encouraging young choreographers' creativity. In view of the overwhelming response, the Council is considering having this competition again in the future.
This year's Festival of Asian Arts, which ended 10 days ago, again brought to Hong Kong performances representing the most classical Asian traditions and the most modern. The Festival featured troupes from nine overseas countries, ranging from Syria and Indonesia to China and Japan, as well as nine local groups.
Additionally, 23 lecture demonstrations on the various Festival performances were held.
Four exhibitions were also staged as part of the Festival. They were: Anthology of Chinese Art, Contemporary Japanese Crafts, Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 1985, and Ethnic Costumes and Ornaments of the Miao Nationality in China.
This year was the tenth year of the Festival of Asian Arts. There are those who wish the Festival to continue annually, and there are those who do not. In the coming months, the Urban Council will be reviewing the position. We invite the views and suggestions from cultural circles and members of the public.
The Councils introduced in May this year a pilot scheme of offering half-price tickets for selected Urban Council presentations on the day of the performances with a view to making the Council's cultural presentations more accessible to the public. The offer applies to the Council's regular cultural presentations, festivals and performances by the Council's Performing Companies.
Page 67 of 19
Page 67 of 195
102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):—As our distinguished visitors are aware, the Urban Council is deeply committed to the long-term and challenging task of promoting the arts and culture, and thereby enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong people. It is the policy of the Council to encourage, support and groom talented local artists. The Council will, as far as possible, provide local groups with opportunities to perform to enable them to further develop themselves into mature and professional artists. Not only does the Council run its own four
performing companies, namely, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, the Hong Kong Dance Company and the Hong Kong Chorus, it also supports other local groups such as the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Ballet Group, the City Contemporary Dance Company, the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra and the Lim Kek Han Philharmonic Orchestra. And this process of supporting even more local cultural groups will continue to expand.
It is encouraging to note that over the years, the Council's four performing companies have contributed much to the development and appreciation of Chinese music, dance, drama and choral music in Hong Kong. Furthermore, their performances continue to reach out to an ever expanding circle of audience both in the urban areas and the New Territories.
The Council recognizes that a community's real wealth is in its youth and that resources spent now on education, training and the provision of recreational, sports and cultural services for young people will pay rich dividends in the future.
With this objective in mind, the Council's four performing companies regularly give free performances to various schools in order to make the performing arts more accessible to students.
In addition, the Repertory Theatre has been organizing the annual Drama Festival every summer since 1979 with the aim of generating greater interest in drama among students and amateur drama societies. The response to this year's Festival was particularly good with the total number of entries amounting to 78 schools and drama clubs. The performances were attended by almost 7000 people, representing 96 per cent of the seating capacity of the City Hall Theatre.
To enable local young artists to perform in public, the Council is presently arranging a series of concerts, entitled 'Platform for Young Musicians Series'. The Platform was introduced only two months ago and it is hoped that it will become a valuable setting for our aspiring young performers to improve their talent by performing oftener before an audience. This programme series will continue until January next year.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 67 of 195
103
One of the best methods to promote the arts and culture among young people is through festivals. Thus, the Council decided in 1982 to organize an international arts festival in summer to provide culture and entertainment for children and young people; each year a different theme is adopted.
This year the Council organized the Hong Kong International Youth Arts Festival to mark the 1985 International Youth Year. The 10-day Festival featured 20 performances by seven overseas groups and four local groups at the City Hall Concert Hall and the Hong Kong Coliseum as well as six free performances at shopping arcades and plazas. The attendance figure totalled
nearly 17 000.
One of the Festival performances, the Grand Concert by Young Melodion Performers, brought together 3 000 students from 90 schools and organizations. inspiring sight to see these young people performing together at the Hong Kong Coliseum in the spirit of 'development, participation and peace', which is the theme of the 1985 International Youth Year.
It was an
The Council sponsored Hong Kong Youth Choreographers' Competition held in July and August this year was aimed at encouraging young choreo- graphers' creativity. In view of the overwhelming response, the Council is considering having this competition again in the future.
This year's Festival of Asian Arts, which ended 10 days ago, again brought to Hong Kong performances representing the most classical Asian traditions and the most modern. The Festival featured troupes from nine overseas countries, ranging from Syria and Indonesia to China and Japan, as well as nine local groups.
Additionally, 23 lecture demonstrations on the various Festival performances were held.
Four exhibitions were also staged as part of the Festival. They were: Anthology of Chinese Art, Contemporary Japanese Crafts, Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 1985, and Ethnic Costumes and Ornaments of the Miao Nationality in China.
This year was the tenth year of the Festival of Asian Arts. There are those who wish the Festival to continue annually, and there are those who do not. In the coming months, the Urban Council will be reviewing the position. We invite the views and suggestions from cultural circles and members of the public.
The Councils introduced in May this year a pilot scheme of offering half-price tickets for selected Urban Council presentations on the day of the performances with a view to making the Council's cultural presentations more accessible to the public. The offer applies to the Council's regular cultural presentations, festivals and performances by the Council's Performing Companies.
Page 67 of 19
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