ENG-2006 — Page 453

Recreation, Sport and the Arts 381

foster sharing of music among local young musicians and their counterparts across the world. The Music Office runs 18 youth orchestras, bands and choirs with 1 380 members. In 2006, it organised an instrumental music training scheme for 4 800 trainees, short-term music interest courses for 2 000 participants, and 390 music activities to entertain a total of 170 000 people. Other major events included a music camp, youth music 'interflows', and music exchange programmes for local, Mainland and overseas young musicians.

Cultural Venues

Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Since its inauguration in 1989, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre has established itself as Hong Kong's premier performing arts venue, attracting leading artists from around the world. It has three main performing venues: Concert Hall, with a seating capacity of 2 019, Grand Theatre, seating capacity of 1 734, and Studio Theatre which seats 303 to 496 people. In 2006, a total of 831 000 people attended 866 performances in these venues.

Hong Kong City Hall

The Hong Kong City Hall, the first cultural venue of its kind built in Hong Kong in 1962, commands a special place in Hong Kong's cultural development. It is a major multi-purpose complex comprising the Concert Hall, Theatre, Recital Hall, Exhibition Hall and Exhibition Gallery. A total of 724 events were held there during the year, attracting 436 000 people.

Regional and District Civic Centres

The LCSD runs 11 regional and district civic centres: the Sheung Wan Civic Centre and Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre on Hong Kong Island; the Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre and Ko Shan Theatre in Kowloon; and the Sha Tin Town Hall, Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Tuen Mun Town Hall, Kwai Tsing Theatre, Yuen Long Theatre, North District Town Hall and Tai Po Civic Centre in the New Territories.

In 2006, the Programme Partnership Scheme was relaunched at Yuen Long Theatre, Tuen Mun Town Hall, North District Town Hall, Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Sheung Wan Civic Centre and Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre. Under this scheme, facilities and resources were provided to selected arts groups to organise audience-building programmes and create new works.

Indoor Stadia

The Hong Kong Coliseum and the Queen Elizabeth Stadium are two of the largest multi-purpose indoor stadia in Hong Kong. The 12 500-seat coliseum is a leading venue for pop concerts, musicals, entertainment spectaculars, international sporting events, cultural programmes and large-scale celebrations. The 3 600-seat stadium is suitable for holding sports events, cultural and

cultural and entertainment performances, school ceremonies, conferences and variety shows.

During the year, 159 performances were staged in the coliseum and 289 in the stadium attracting over 2 006 400 people.