ENG-2007 — Page 437

Recreation, Sport and the Arts | 369

The Committee on Performing Arts submitted its first recommendation report to the Government in June 2006. All of its recommendations were accepted in principle. In 2007, the Government implemented the committee's recommendation to put all the major professional performing arts companies under one roof, the Home Affairs Bureau, and at the same time set up a Funding Committee for the Performing Arts to advise the bureau on funding for these companies. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department also planned for the launch of a venue partnership scheme in 2008-09 at the department's venues on the recommendation of the committee. The Committee on Museums and the Committee on Libraries also submitted their recommendation reports in May 2007.

The Advisory Committee on Cantonese Opera advises the Secretary for Home. Affairs on the promotion, preservation, study and development of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Arts Development Council

The Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) was established by ordinance in 1995 to plan, promote and support the broad development of the arts which include performing, literary, visual, film and media arts, arts education, arts criticism and arts administration in Hong Kong.

Arts funding is one of the HKADC's key responsibilities. After the funding responsibilities for the major performing arts groups were transferred to the Home Affairs Bureau on April 1, 2007, the HKADC focused its funding policy on the development of the arts. In addition to the existing one-year grant, devolved grant and project grant schemes, the HKADC introduced two new grant schemes, namely Grant for Emerging Artists and Multi-Project Grant, to encourage fledgling arts practitioners and small-to-medium sized arts groups to pursue multi-facet and professional development.

The HKADC also stepped up collaboration with different media organisations to promote the arts through their networks. A review and criticism column on visual arts was introduced in two Chinese newspapers for an eight-month period during the year. HKADC also co-produced a 10-episode television series called Arts Unlimited III with Radio Television Hong Kong to examine the interweaving of urban planning, cultural and arts activities into the fabric of society.

The HKADC also worked with the district associations to make use of district and other non-government resources to promote the arts. The HKADC joined hands with the Hong Kong Chaoren Shamshuipo Clans Association Limited, Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Dragon Centre Management Limited in February and March 2007 to organise an event, called 'Arts for All: Dragon Centre Arts Festival' in the Dragon Centre. The HKADC continued its cooperation with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to organise the 'Reading Write-up Competition for Students', 'Critics Recommendations' and 'Literary Seminar' during the Hong Kong Book Fair 2007 in summer.