ENG-2016 — Page 383

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

Capital Funding

The government granted an upfront endowment of $21.6 billion to the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in 2008 to develop the West Kowloon Cultural District so as to meet the long- term infrastructural and developmental needs of Hong Kong's arts and culture. Separately, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre is being built in Ngau Tau Kok to alleviate the shortage of professional performing arts facilities. The cultural centre, scheduled for completion in late 2020, includes a 1,200-seat auditorium and a 550-seat theatre and will become a major cultural venue in East Kowloon.

Recurrent Funding

In 2015-16, the government earmarked about $3.9 billion, excluding capital works expenditure, to support arts groups, arts education and promotion, and administrative costs.

Major Performing Arts Groups

In 2015-16, the Home Affairs Bureau provided about $334 million to support nine major performing arts groups: the Chung Ying Theatre Company, City Contemporary Dance Company, Hong Kong Ballet, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Dance Company, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Zuni Icosahedron.

Arts and Sport Development Fund

The arts portion of the Arts and Sport Development Fund subsidises long-term arts and cultural development through investment returns generated by seed money of $1.5 billion injected in 2010-11. Under the arts portion, the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme disburses about $30 million annually in the form of Springboard Grants with matching elements and Project Grants. The scheme seeks to develop the capacity of local artists and arts groups and to promote public-private partnership in local arts development. It has financed 73 projects. Another $30 million is earmarked annually to support projects initiated or recommended by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

Cantonese Opera Development Fund

The Cantonese Opera Development Fund helps to preserve, promote and develop Cantonese opera. In 2016, it granted about $9.4 million to support various projects, including the Venue Partnership Scheme at Yau Ma Tei Theatre, Yuen Long Theatre and Sha Tin Town Hall.

Arts Development Fund

The Arts Development Fund is used mainly to support cultural exchanges. In 2016, $3.8 million was approved for 68 such projects.

Lord Wilson Heritage Trust

The Lord Wilson Heritage Trust provides funding to community organisations and individuals to undertake heritage activities and research projects. Eleven heritage-related projects worth about $2.26 million were approved in 2016.

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