ENG-2017 — Page 382

20

Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

'M' Mark

The 'M' Mark system aims to solicit support from the commercial sector and the community for NSAs to develop sustainable major international sports events. Thirteen events were awarded 'M' Mark status and/or support packages in 2017.

'Healthy Exercise for All' Campaign and 'Sport for All Day'

The 'Healthy Exercise for All' campaign is a territory-wide event organised jointly by the LCSD and the Department of Health. In 2017, more than 80,000 people took part in about 1,400 programmes under the campaign. Over 230,000 people participated in August in the annual 'Sport for All Day', which adopted 'Stay Active, Let's Dance' as the event slogan to promote sport for all in the community. On that day, free recreation and sports programmes were held at designated sports centres in all 18 districts and most of the fee-charging sports facilities were open to the public free of charge.

Hong Kong Games

The 6th Hong Kong Games was held from 23 April to 28 May, with a total of 3,269 athletes. Over 500,000 people took part in related community programmes. The games, held biennially, aims to promote a stronger sporting culture in the community through competitions and community activities.

National Games

The 13th National Games was held between 27 August and 8 September in Tianjin. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region sent 254 athletes to take part in 22 final competitions, capturing two gold, seven silver and seven bronze medals, the HKSAR delegation's best performance since its first participation in the National Games in 1997.

Culture and Arts Funding

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. Another $4.17 billion was approved in 2015 to build the East Kowloon Cultural Centre in Ngau Tau Kok to alleviate the shortage of professional performance 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 2016-17, the government earmarked about $4.2 billion, excluding capital works expenditure, for arts groups, arts education and promotion, and administration. Of this sum, about $334 million went into supporting 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.

306