Recreation, Sport and the Arts 381
Stories', 'Brecht Festival' and 'Playwright Scheme III 2008' were promoted to support local artists, while a special promotional campaign for local small-to-medium sized theatre groups was also launched.
The department is keen to preserve and develop the vernacular art of Cantonese opera. A 'Young Cantonese Opera Artists Series' featuring performances by local Cantonese opera groups, including the Hong Kong Young Talent Opera Troupe and Sunny Cantonese Opera Troupe, was presented not only to preserve this particular delicate art but also to inject new vitality. The large-scale free 'Cantonese Opera Day' was organised to promote this traditional art to the public.
During the year trial runs of cultural programmes were arranged in several non-LCSD venues including the HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity, Cattle Depot Artist Village, Nan Lian Garden, universities and Tin Ching Community Hall. These typify the department's concerted efforts to strengthen ties with local artists and support their growth and development in the community.
The LCSD also assists major local film events, including the annual Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony, by providing the organisers with free venues and ticketing services.
The department continued to work with the consulates-general and foreign cultural institutions in Hong Kong by sponsoring cultural exchange events such as 'Le French May'.
Entertainment Programmes
During the year, 617 carnivals and free entertainment programmes were organised by the LCSD. More than 900 000 people attended these events.
Outdoor extravaganzas included the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals, featuring over 50 artists from Guizhou, Hebei and Beijing in spectacular dance and acrobatic performances, the New Year's Eve Countdown Carnival, and the Lunar New Year Lantern Carnivals, as well as the Outdoor Concert of the Hong Kong International Jazz Festival 2008 and a Youth Band Marathon. To enhance cultural exchange between the local and Asian communities in Hong Kong, the LCSD continued to organise events such as a Concert in the Park featuring Filippino artists and Asian ethnic cultural performances. The former was presented in collaboration with the Consulate-General of the Philippines, while the latter, which featured Indian and Indonesian cultural performances were jointly presented with the Consulates-General of India and the Republic of Indonesia.
Arts Education and Audience-building Projects
During the year, 1225 arts education and audience-building activities were organised by the LCSD to help local citizens, particularly school students, better appreciate the performing arts. They included organised visits to cultural venues and the taking of outreach arts activities to schools and the community. A new initiative entitled 'Experience the Arts-Pilot Scheme for Senior Secondary Students' was launched to tie in with the implementation of the Aesthetic Development under the
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