ENG-2014 — Page 388

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

performances and 902 educational, promotional and audience-building activities organised by the venue partners in 2014.

West Kowloon Cultural District

The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), a 40-hectare prime waterfront site, is being developed as an integrated arts and cultural district with world-class facilities. It is aimed to promote the development of the arts and culture and contribute towards Hong Kong's development as an international arts and cultural metropolis.

Construction of a number of WKCD facilities advanced in 2014: works on the foundations for M+ (a new museum of visual culture) started in August; and works on the main superstructure for the Xiqu Centre and the temporary tree nursery park commenced at the end of the year. Design work for the Park (including Black Box and Outdoor Stage) and Lyric Theatre also started, and a winning design was selected for the Arts Pavilion.

To optimise the development potential of the site, the WKCD Authority obtained the Town Planning Board's approval in November to an increase of 15 per cent in the site's maximum total gross floor area (GFA), with pro-rata increases in the GFA of each of the site's different land uses to ensure a balanced development mix.

To nurture new audiences and raise public awareness of the WKCD project, the WKCD Authority initiated and co-presented a variety of events, including the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre in January and the outdoor arts festival, Freespace Fest in November. M+ held its first architectural exhibition in January and took part in Art Basel in Hong Kong in May. The WKCD Authority also organised seminars, workshops, training programmes, internship schemes and other collaborative projects.

URBTIX

URBTIX (Urban Ticketing System) is one of the most widely-used computerised ticketing systems in Hong Kong. Upgraded in 2014, it provides ticketing services to the public through around 40 outlets, the internet, telephone booking and a new mobile ticketing app. In 2014, 4.53 million tickets with proceeds over $985 million were processed by the system.

Culture and Arts Organisations

Hong Kong Arts Development Council

The Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) plans, promotes, funds and supports the overall development of the arts in Hong Kong. Besides encouraging public participation in the arts and advocating arts education, the HKADC also endeavours to advance arts criticism, raise the standards of arts administration and strengthen arts policy research. It also operates various grant schemes.

The HKADC helps groom talented people and cultivate budding artists by providing them with opportunities to receive training and to take part in competitions, cultural exchanges and internships both in Hong Kong and abroad. In 2014, the HKADC implemented Arts

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