ENG-2005 — Page 467

Recreation, Sport and the Arts 405

Lord Wilson Heritage Trust

The Lord Wilson Heritage Trust was established in 1992, following the enactment of an ordinance bearing the same name. It aims to promote the preservation and conservation of Hong Kong's heritage. During the year, the trust granted around $1 million to support seven heritage-related activities and research projects. The trust also launched the Lord Wilson Scholarship Scheme and awarded the scholarships to scholars to carry out research projects on local archaeology.

Museums

Hong Kong Museum of Art

In 2005, the Hong Kong Museum of Art staged 12 special exhibitions drawn from local and overseas sources. The highlight of the year was the exhibition 'Impressionism: Treasures from the National Collection of France', a joint presentation with the Association Française d'Action Artistique and the Musée d'Orsay that was part of the 'Year of France in China' programme. The exhibition not only provided the public with the opportunity to see works by major artists such as Renoir, Monet and Cézanne, but also marked the close cultural relationship between China and France.

Another special exhibition, Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 2005, featured successful entries selected from an open competition that was launched as a territory-wide art event. The exhibition illustrated the most recent developments in contemporary Hong Kong art as well as the creativity of local artists, in particular budding young artists.

Throughout the year, the museum continued to collaborate with eminent local artists and collectors to present exhibitions, including 'Secret Codes The Art of Hon Chi-fun', 'Chinese Paintings from the C.P. Lin Collection' and 'Auspicious Emblems: Chinese Cultural Treasures 45th Anniversary Exhibition of the Min Chiu Society'.

To stimulate the public's interest in art, the museum also organised a wide range of education and extension programmes, including video shows, art lectures, and meet-the-artist gatherings. Other educational activities, such as Chinese paper cutting, festive story-telling and auspicious ceramic making were specially arranged to coincide with the 'Highlights of the Collection - Festive Hong Kong' exhibitions. The museum also joined forces with the education and cultural sectors to present the International Museum Day 2005, School Culture Day, the International Arts Carnival 2005 and a series of academic seminars co-organised with the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Together with the various education and extension programmes, the exhibitions. attracted more than 504 000 visitors and participants during the year.

Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware

The Museum of Tea Ware collection features various kinds of tea ware and related vessels from the collection of the late Dr K S Lo and rare Chinese ceramics and seals donated by the K S Lo Foundation. Two special exhibitions were held in