ENG-1999 — Page 426

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CHAPTER 20

Recreation, Sports and the Arts

RECREATION, sport and the arts provide opportunities for the people of Hong Kong to enrich the quality of their lives. The Government aims to nurture an environment in which freedom of creativity, pluralistic development of the arts, sporting excellence and recreation for the community can thrive.

The Government's policies on sport, recreation, culture and heritage matters are co-ordinated by the Home Affairs Bureau. A number of expert bodies contribute to the development of these policies, including the Hong Kong Sports Development Board (SDB), the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC) and the Antiquities Advisory Board.

The continued development of Hong Kong's sporting and artistic culture is in large part entrusted to the SDB and the ADC, both of which are statutory bodies. These two organisations have in the past year continued to implement plans for the development of their respective fields. Specific initiatives have been funded largely by grants from the $300 million Arts and Sport Development Fund, which was set up in March 1997 to help the SDB and the ADC implement the initiatives in their strategic plans.

Hong Kong people enjoy access to a wide range of sports, recreational and cultural facilities. Many of these have been built and managed by the Provisional Urban and Regional Councils, and include: multi-purpose sports halls, sports grounds, swimming pools, parks, museums and libraries. The two councils also organised and supported numerous sporting, recreational and cultural programmes and events.

Following the review of district organisations in 1998, it was proposed that the provisional municipal councils be dissolved by the end of 1999. In November 1998, the Government commissioned a consultancy with a view to recommending a new institutional framework for the provision and management of culture, the arts, recreation and sports services in Hong Kong. Since the issue of the consultant's report in February, the Government has been planning the implementation of the consultant's recommendations from January 1, 2000, which include: the replacement of the two municipal services departments with a new Leisure and Cultural Services Department for promoting and delivering leisure and cultural services in Hong Kong; the expansion of the membership size of the SDB and ADC; and the formation of a Culture and Heritage Commission.

The Arts

Hong Kong residents have access to a wide range of leisure activities, many of which were provided by the Provisional Urban Council and the Provisional Regional