ENG-1983 — Page 291

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RECREATION AND THE ARTS

performances in the concert hall, the theatre and the recital hall, and 130 exhibitions were held at the exhibition hall and gallery. A year-long fiesta of cultural events was launched to celebrate the Urban Council Centenary, with performances by 124 overseas artistes and groups, some of whom appeared with the assistance of various cultural organisations such as the British Council, the Goethe Institute, the Alliance Francaise and various consulates, including the Japanese Consulate General and the Austrian Consulate General.

The Urban Council also promotes local artistic talent, presenting 213 vocal and instru- mental recitals, 29 operatic performances and 50 Chinese and Western dance performances at City Hall. In addition to a weekly series of French and German films, the council presented a number of film festivals and organised many exhibitions.

Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Centre

Overlooking the harbour on the site of the former Kowloon-Canton Railway terminus and newly-reclaimed land at the tip of the Kowloon peninsula, the Urban Council and the government are building a cultural complex that will become the centre of Hong Kong's cultural life. Piling work has been completed and construction work will soon begin; the project is scheduled for completion in 1986.

Facilities will include a crescent-shaped auditoria block housing a 2 280-seat concert hall for presenting unamplified music, a 1 890-seat lyric theatre for opera, ballet and stage shows, and a 450-seat studio theatre for drama. A nine-storey tower block will accommodate the Cultural Services Department offices and an arts library. A restaurant block will house restaurants, and conference and lecture rooms.

Town Halls

Providing cultural facilities in the New Territories is of major importance and since 1980 three multi-purpose cultural complexes have been handed over to the Cultural Services Department for management. These are the Tsuen Wan Town Hall, the Lut Sau Hall at Yuen Long, and the North District Town Hall located south of Sheung Shui. Each complex has an auditorium for musical, dance and theatrical performances, as well as other facilities such as rehearsal rooms. Tsuen Wan Town Hall, the first multi-purpose cultural complex to be built in the New Territories also features on its 5 900-square-metre site an exhibition gallery, a cultural activities hall, lecture and conference rooms, a music and book shop, and a coffee lounge.

Aberdeen Cultural Centre

Opened in July, the Aberdeen Cultural Centre in the Urban Council Aberdeen Complex is the first district cultural facility established by the Urban Council. The centre comprises a 200-seat cultural activities hall, a hall for exhibitions or rehearsals, a conference room, two music practice rooms and ancillary facilities suitable for small-scale cultural performances and community activities. During the year, 43 cultural performances and community activities were held at the centre.

Hong Kong Arts Centre

Since its opening in October 1977, the Arts Centre has become well established as a major arts venue in Hong Kong, enjoying great public support and participation. The three auditoria at the centre were used for 7048 hours and its art galleries hosted about 100 exhibitions during the year. The two rehearsal rooms, art and crafts studios, music practice rooms and other areas were used for more than 4 640 separate sessions.