ENG-2009 — Page 464

384 Recreation, Sport and the Arts

seating capacity of 2 019, the Grand Theatre, seating 1 734, and the Studio Theatre, which seats between 303 and 496 people. In 2009, more than 682 000 people attended 745 performances in these theatres.

Hong Kong City Hall

Opened in 1962, Hong Kong City Hall, is a major civic centre comprising a 1 434-seat concert hall, a 463-seat theatre, and an exhibition hall. The City Hall complex was graded as a Grade I Historic Building by the Antiquities Advisory Board in December 2009. A total of 638 events were held in the concert hall and the theatre during the year, attracting over 390 000 people.

Regional and District Civic Centres

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

Venue Partnership Scheme

The Venue Partnership Scheme was launched in April 2009 based on recommendations contained in a report published in 2006 by the Committee on Performing Arts. It aims to foster a partnership between venues and performing arts groups, its prime objectives being building the image and character of individual venues and their partners, enlarging the audience base, optimising use of space and facilities at the venues, developing marketing strategies and soliciting sponsorship, encouraging community involvement in the development of the arts in Hong Kong, and contributing to the development of the performing arts scene.

Under this three-year scheme, 20 venue partners are engaged in organising a variety of performing arts activities at 11 venues. Support for the venue partners includes priority use of venues to facilitate advance programme planning and provision of additional funding for organising programmes and activities, staff and administrative costs.

Some 330 stage performances and 247 educational, promotion and audience building activities were organised by the venue partners in 2009 with a total audience attendance of 289 000.

Indoor Stadia

Opened in 1980 and 1983 respectively, the 3 500-seat Queen Elizabeth Stadium and the Hong Kong Coliseum, which seats 12 500, are two of the largest multi-purpose indoor stadia in Hong Kong. Their flexible stage and seating structure, coupled with world class facilities, are suited to international and local activities, ranging from cultural and entertainment to sporting and celebratory events.

A total of 52 and 130 events were staged in the Coliseum and the Stadium, attracting over 1 216 100 and 430 600 spectators respectively.