ENG-2014 — Page 387

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund awards scholarships to candidates of outstanding talent to pursue further studies in music or dance outside Hong Kong. Five scholarships worth about $2.16 million were awarded in 2014.

Culture and Arts Venues

There are 16 performance venues of varying sizes in Hong Kong under LCSD's management.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre

The Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong's premier performing arts venue, attracts leading artists from around the world and celebrated its 25th anniversary in November 2014. It has three main performance venues: the Concert Hall, seating 2,019 patrons, the Grand Theatre, 1,734, and the Studio Theatre, up to 496. In 2014, more than 628,000 people attended about 700 performances at the centre.

Hong Kong City Hall

Hong Kong City Hall opened in 1962 as Hong Kong's first purpose-built major civic centre. Its main facilities include a 1,434-seat concert hall, a 463-seat theatre, and an exhibition hall. In 2014, 580 events were held in the concert hall and the theatre, attracting over 349,500 people.

Yau Ma Tei Theatre

Yau Ma Tei Theatre, the only surviving pre-war cinema building in Hong Kong's urban area, was revitalised and opened in July 2012 as a dedicated venue to nurture young talent for Cantonese opera. In 2014, more than 72,000 people attended 323 performances at the theatre.

Regional and District Civic Centres and Theatres

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 and its New Wing in Kowloon; and the Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun and North District Town Halls, the Kwai Tsing Theatre, Yuen Long Theatre, and Tai Po Civic Centre in the New Territories.

Indoor Stadia

The 12,500-seat Hong Kong Coliseum and the 3,500-seat Queen Elizabeth Stadium are the two premier multi-purpose indoor stadia in Hong Kong. With their flexible stage and seating configurations, the two stadia have played host to a wide array of events, including major sports events, pop concerts and celebratory events. In 2014, 44 and 125 events were staged in the coliseum and the stadium, attracting over 1,296,000 and 317,000 spectators respectively.

Venue Partnership Scheme

The Venue Partnership Scheme fosters partnerships between LCSD's performance venues and selected performing arts groups. Its main aim is to build the image and character of individual venues and their partners, expand the audience base, optimise usage of venue facilities, develop marketing strategies, facilitate sponsorship drives, and encourage community involvement in the arts in Hong Kong. Some 760,000 people attended or took part in 848 stage

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