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Home , Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong Coliseum, Hong Kong residents, Hong Kong Stadium, Kwai Tsing Theatre, Law Uk Folk Museum

Leisure and Culture

Hong Kong residents have access to a wide range of sports, the Department of Health jointly organised the Healthy recreational and cultural facilities. Many of these are built and Exercise for All Campaign. Due to the impact of COVID-19, managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department only 382 out of 1 000 planned programmes could actually be (LCSD). The main objective of the department is to enrich the organised in 2020-21. These attracted around 17 000 community’s quality of life through the promotion and participants in total. Those programmes included Dance Night provision of recreational and cultural facilities and activities. under Dance for Health, QualiWalk, Hiking Scheme, Rope Skipping Activities, Fitness Training Courses for Children and Leisure Services: The LCSD provides facilities to foster Outreach Fitness Programmes for Persons with Disabilities public participation in recreation and sports activities and and the Elderly. Besides, health education and physical organises a wide range of programmes. It also beautifies the exercise-related materials were produced in the form of DVDs, environment through planting of trees and other plants in leaflets and booklets, and uploaded onto a dedicated public parks and amenity areas. webpage in the LCSD website so as to encourage a healthy lifestyle through regular participation in physical activities and Recreational and Sports Venues: There are a great number sports. of facilities to provide leisure services, including 25 sports To intensify the promotion of Sport for All in the grounds, 44 swimming pool complexes, 41 gazetted bathing community and to support the National Fitness Day, the LCSD beaches, 102 sports centres, 83 turf pitches, 234 hard- organised the Sport For All Day in August 2020. To align with surfaced mini-soccer pitches, 531 basketball courts, 252 the Government-wide anti-epidemic measures, the LCSD tennis courts, 292 squash courts and 665 leisure venues webcasted a series of physical fitness exercise demonstration providing children's playgrounds. Other facilities such as videos via the dedicated website and the LCSD Edutainment hockey pitches, horse riding schools and golf driving ranges Channel, with a view to encouraging members of the public to are also provided. The LCSD also manages five water sports exercise at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. centres (Stanley Main Beach, St Stephen’s Beach, Chong The Sports Subvention Scheme provides financial Hing, The Jockey Club Wong Shek and Tai Mei Tuk) and four assistance to National Sports Associations (NSAs) and Sports holiday camps (Lei Yue Mun Park, Lady MacLehose Holiday Organisations (SOs) for organising sports programmes and Village, Sai Kung and Tso Kung Tam Outdoor Recreation training athletes. In 2020-21, the scheme provided Centres). To tie in with the Government’s preventing and subventions for NSAs and SOs to organise some 4 650 sports combating COVID-19 measures as well as to alleviate the promotion events for about 303 790 participants. The scheme effects of the public health emergency triggered by COVID-19, includes the Young Athletes Training Scheme to identify the four holiday camps were converted into quarantine centres talented young players and District Sports Teams Training and temporary accommodation in January 2020. Since then, Scheme for enhancing a stronger sense of belonging among they have been used to facilitate the medical surveillance of residents. those who may have been exposed to the risk of contracting The School Sports Programme and the Community COVID-19 but who are nonetheless asymptomatic. The Sports Club Project, launched by the department, have been 12 500-seat Coliseum and the 3 500-seat Queen further promoting sports and cultivating a new sport culture in Elizabeth Stadium are the focal points for important indoor Hong Kong. The aim of the two programmes is to provide sporting events while the 40 000-seat is more opportunities for students and members of the public to a major venue for staging large-scale sporting and spectator participate in sports. Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in events. 2020-21, the number of activities organised under the School Sports Programme was reduced to 815 with 248 990 students Recreation and Sports Activities: The LCSD organises and participating. Subsidies were granted for community sports promotes various leisure activities for people of all ages. In clubs to organise about 960 sports development programmes 2020-21, the department organised some 7 400 recreation for some 20 230 participants. and sports activities for 400 000 participants of all ages and abilities. Hong Kong Games (HKG): With a view to further promoting To encourage the public to improve their health through Sport for All in the community, the LCSD collaborated with the participating in physical activities and sports, the LCSD and Sports Commission and its Community Sports Committee, 18

GovHK Website: http://www.gov.hk Leisure and Cultural Services Department July 2021 Information contained in this publication may be freely used. Home Page address: No acknowledgement is necessary. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk District Councils, the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee venue attracting overseas leading artists and local major of Hong Kong, and the relevant NSAs to hold the HKG performing companies, and a prime performance venue for biennially from 2007 onwards. The 8th HKG, originally large-scale arts festivals. It houses a 1 971-seat Concert Hall, scheduled to be held from 2020 to 2021, was postponed for a a 1 734-seat Grand Theatre and a 303-496 seat Studio year to 2021 and 2022 due to COVID-19. An online mascot Theatre. voting activity was conducted in 2020 which attracted more than 3 000 votes and resulted in ‘Cheering Larry’ being : Established in 1962, the Hong Kong selected as the mascot of the HKG. Two out of three webinars City Hall is the first multi-purpose cultural complex built to of the Hong Kong Games – The New Normal of Sports and enhance the quality of life amongst the Hong Kong Wellness Series were launched in this period with a total community. Its classic Bauhaus-style of architecture has attendance of 2 142 to disseminate exercise and health made it one of Hong Kong’s landmarks since inception. The messages to the public. complex was designated as a Grade 1 historic building by the Antiquities Advisory Board in late 2009. Hong Kong City Hall Horticulture and Landscape Services: The LCSD is plays an important role in popularising the arts and promoting responsible for improving the environment with landscape Eastern and Western cultures. Its facilities include a 1 430- planting, beautification schemes and tree preservation. It seat Concert Hall, a 463-seat Theatre, a Recital Hall, an manages 1 674 parks and gardens of various sizes, including Exhibition Hall and an Exhibition Gallery. 26 major parks throughout Hong Kong. Since 2000, the LCSD has been holding the annual Hong Theatre: The Theatre was constructed in 1930 Kong Flower Show at Victoria Park. The show is a highlight in and is a Grade 2 historic building. The Theatre and the the local horticultural calendar. It provides a good opportunity adjacent Red Brick Building (Grade 1 historic building) have for hundreds of thousands of local citizens and plant lovers been revitalised as a performance base dedicated to Chinese from all over the world to appreciate the beauty of flowers and opera performances and activities, and as a training and share their experiences in horticulture. Featuring gorgeous performance venue for budding opera talents. It landscape displays and beautiful floral arrangements, the was reopened in 2012 to house a 300-seat Theatre. show also offers a rich diversity of fringe activities for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages including music and cultural and : performances, floral art demonstrations, guided tours, Opened in 1980 and 1983 respectively, the 3 500-seat Queen horticultural talks, drawing and photo competitions, green Elizabeth Stadium and the 12 500-seat Hong Kong Coliseum activities workshops and fun games. However, the Hong Kong are two well-equipped multi-purpose indoor stadia most Flower Show 2021, originally scheduled to be held from March suitable for large-scale sports, cultural and entertainment 12 to 21 at Victoria Park, was morphed into exquisite garden programmes. The Coliseum in particular is a leading venue for plots displayed at designated parks across the 18 districts and major international sports events, cultural and entertainment presented virtually online from March 19 to April 19, 2021 for spectaculars such as pop concerts. a new browsing experience due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The total page-view was over 240 000. Other Venues: Other performance venues in the territory To enhance public awareness about greening the including Town Hall, , Tuen environment, a series of interesting and educational green Mun Town Hall, Kwai Tsing Theatre, Theatre, activities such as Green Volunteer Scheme, Greening School Civic Centre, Civic Centre, Ngau Subsidy Scheme, ‘One Person, One Flower’ Scheme, Chi Wan Civic Centre, Ko Shan Theatre and New Wing, North Community Garden Programme, Community Planting Day, District Town Hall and Tai Po Civic Centre are the foci for Horticulture Education Exhibition, horticultural courses and cultural activities in the community level. seminars are also organised for public participation every year. Cultural Festivals and Performances: Cultural life of Hong Kong is enriched by the year-round cultural and entertainment Cultural Services: The LCSD provides a wide range of programmes organised by the LCSD. The LCSD strives to performance facilities, cultural and entertainment present world-class programmes by top-notch overseas programmes to promote the development and appreciation of artists to broaden the horizons of audience and arts performing and visual arts. Apart from managing 16 practitioners as well as promoting Hong Kong as an performance venues, the department also stages international cultural metropolis. As impacted by the pandemic presentations of various art forms as well as international in 2020-21, all visiting programmes were either cancelled or festivals and arts education activities. It offers concessionary postponed. In regard to the support to local arts and arts discounts to full-time students, senior citizens and people with practitioners, the LCSD collaborated with local arts groups disabilities. and artists to curate and produce a series of live / recorded programmes for uploading to the department’s Edutainment Major Performance Venues: Channel under the Click for Arts series. Ranging from Hong Kong Cultural Centre: Opened in 1989, the Hong performances, arts appreciation, interactive programmes to Kong Cultural Centre has since been a major performing arts virtual guided tours, the series brings an array of programmes

GovHK Website: http://www.gov.hk Leisure and Cultural Services Department July 2021 Information contained in this publication may be freely used. Home Page address: No acknowledgement is necessary. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk in different art forms, including selections from the well- reliable ticketing services for the public through its wide received ‘Cheers!’ series, for public enjoyment from the network of 18 outlets, and via internet, mobile app and comfort of their homes. Individual performances under the telephone booking services. In 2020-21, the number of series ‘City Hall Virtuosi’, ‘Our Music Talents’ and ‘Dance On’ ticketed events dropped owing to the pandemic. $134 million were staged as scheduled in 2020-21. was processed through URBTIX for around 0.5 million tickets Under the pandemic situation, the Chinese Opera for some 2 700 performances. Festival originally scheduled for June to August every year was cancelled, while the annual Day was Other Performance Venues and Performing Companies in held at indoor venues in November 2020, enjoyed by more Hong Kong: than 3 000 people, for promoting traditional Cantonese (HKAC), established in 1977, is a operatic art. Meanwhile, the annual International Arts Carnival non-profit organisation operating under a self-financing held in July and August provides children and their families model, devoting itself to the development of contemporary arts with fun-filled cultural programmes and interactive activities and cultures for years. The HKAC’s main building in during summer. The biennial New Vision Arts Festival, is equipped with facilities including theatres, a cinema, planned to become an annual event in autumn since 2020, galleries, classrooms, studios and restaurants, providing a introduces to Hong Kong audiences pioneering, trendsetting wide range of programmes featuring performing arts, visual and groundbreaking performing arts from around the world. In arts, film and video arts every month while planning public art 2020-21, new platforms entitled WeWeWebWeb Carnival and projects, conferences and more. The Hong Kong Art School ReNew Vision were created to showcase specially designed (HKAS) under the HKAC is an accredited institute established online programmes. Such initiatives set out to offer local in 2000. The award-bearing curriculum offered by the HKAS artists an alternative platform to continue creating, while focuses mainly on the area of Fine Art (ceramics, painting, audiences could enjoy online activities for free. The two online photography and sculpture), with academic levels ranging platforms made available programmes in 170 episodes, from Higher Diploma to Bachelor Degree and Master Degree. drawing over 1.6 million views in total. On top of these cultural and entertainment events, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, established audience building and arts education activities were also in 1984, offers professional education, training and research presented together with local arts groups and educational and facilities in the performing arts: music, dance, drama, theatre district organisations to promote art appreciation in the and entertainment arts, film and television, and Chinese community and schools. A total of 511 arts education and opera. Its education philosophy reflects Hong Kong’s cultural audience building activities were organised, attracting more diversity underscored by Chinese and Western traditions, and than 108 000 participants. To further promote arts an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. development and enhance artistic ambience in the community, In 2020-21, the academy enrolled 935 students for the LCSD launched the Community Arts Scheme in Wan Chai undergraduate and post-secondary programmes in its six and Sai Kung districts in 2019-20 in collaboration with the performing arts disciplines, and attracted 134 students to District Councils and various district organisations. The pursue master’s degree programmes in dance, music, drama, scheme was extended to the Southern, Sham Shui Po, Islands, film and television, and theatre and entertainment arts. It and Kwun Tong districts in 2020-21, and is expected to cover admitted more than 690 students to its junior programmes and all the 18 districts across the territory in 2021-22. On cultural over 3 100 students to its Extension and Continuing Education exchange, to enable audience in the Greater Bay Area and the for Life programme. Mainland to continue enjoying local productions, the LCSD collaborated with its venue partners to broadcast four free Major Performing Arts Companies: online programmes and attracted over 3.1 million views. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, became fully Some of the performances and activities of the 49th professional in 1974, is the first and largest professional Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2021, presented by the Hong Kong symphony orchestra in Hong Kong that presents a broad- Arts Festival Society, were conducted on-line or postponed. based repertoire, including classical music and contemporary works. Music Office: Established in 1977, the Music Office, promotes knowledge and appreciation of music in the The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, founded in 1977, is the community, especially among young people, through the only professional Chinese orchestra in Hong Kong that provision of instrumental and ensemble training and the presents symphonic music based on traditional folk repertoire organisation of diverse music activities with a view to building and full-scale contemporary compositions. a new generation of concert audiences. In 2020-21, it provided music training to more than 6 800 trainees and organised Hong Kong Sinfonietta, founded in 1999, is a professional more than 70 activities attracting about 28 500 participants. orchestra which presents a broad-based repertoire (including standard classical music, contemporary works, original URBTIX: Since its inception in 1984, URBTIX (Urban crossover productions) and provides accompaniment to ballet Ticketing System) has become one of the most widely-used and opera performances. ticketing systems in Hong Kong offering convenient and

GovHK Website: http://www.gov.hk Leisure and Cultural Services Department July 2021 Information contained in this publication may be freely used. Home Page address: No acknowledgement is necessary. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk The Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, established in 1977, is conserves, processes, studies and displays cultural objects a professional theatre company that produces a diverse which are closely related to the history and ethnography of repertoire of Chinese and overseas classics, and develops Hong Kong and the South China area. The Hong Kong Film quality local works. Archive’s major functions are to acquire, preserve, catalogue and document Hong Kong films and related materials. The Art Chung Ying Theatre Company, founded in 1979, is a Promotion Office is responsible for the promotion of public and professional theatre company dedicated to creating high community art in Hong Kong. The Intangible Cultural Heritage quality theatrical productions and promoting theatrical arts Office is responsible for the safeguarding, research and education through diversified activities. promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of Hong Kong. The LCSD museums organise large-scale thematic Zuni Icosahedron, founded in 1982, is a multimedia exhibitions every year as well as year-round extension experimental theatre company that makes creative attempts activities to raise interest and popularise museum services. in the various aspects of theatre, and participates in arts Major exhibitions organised in 2020-21 included Botticelli and education, arts criticism and international cultural exchanges. His Times – Masterworks from the Uffizi, Striving and Transforming – The Industry, Hand-in- The Hong Kong Dance Company, founded in 1981, is a Hand for Benevolence – Tung Wah's Fundraising Culture and professional Chinese dance company which aims to promote Social Development and Robots – The 500-Year Quest to Chinese dance and dance drama in a unique Hong Kong Make Machines Human. The total attendance of museums in style. 2020-21 was about 0.85 million. As at March 2021, the LCSD museums have acquired about 1 601 400 items of collection Hong Kong Ballet, founded in 1978, is a professional dance in which about 292 400 items are historic, art and science company which presents a broad-based repertoire, including objects and about 1 309 000 items are film and film-related classical ballets, contemporary works and original materials. productions. Public Libraries: With its 70 static libraries and 12 mobile City Contemporary Dance Company, founded in 1979, is a libraries, the LCSD provides an accessible and efficient professional modern dance company that nurtures talents in service to users in meeting community’s needs for knowledge, the contemporary dance field. It also actively stages information, research, life-long learning, continuous education performances overseas. and profitable use of leisure time, and promotes reading and literary arts actively. Besides, it also manages the Books Heritage and Museums: The LCSD endeavours to provide Registration Office which helps preserve Hong Kong’s literary and develop museums and related services to build up historic, heritage through the registration of local publications. The art and science collections, preserve local cultural heritage library system has a comprehensive collection of library and promote public appreciation for it. materials which include over 13.33 million items of books and The LCSD manages two art museums – Hong Kong 1.78 million items of multimedia publications. It has over 4.71 Museum of Art and Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware; two million registered borrowers who borrowed more than 21.62 science and technology museums – Hong Kong Science million items of books and other library materials during 2020- Museum and ; nine history and 21. During the intermittent closure of libraries in view of the folk museums – Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong COVID-19 epidemic, the Hong Kong Public Libraries put Museum of Coastal Defence, Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, Lei efforts in promoting its online resources and e-reading, and Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum, Law Uk Folk Museum, Sheung provided online access to 378 000 e-books for public use via Yiu Folk Museum, , Hong Kong the internet. An array of activities for people of all ages are Railway Museum and Fireboat Alexander Grantham organised in and outside of library venues across the territory Exhibition Gallery; a cross-disciplinary museum – Hong Kong and via the online platforms in promotion of culture, reading Heritage Museum; Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre and Oi! art and knowledge dissemination. In 2020-21, more than 3 000 space of the Art Promotion Office; and Hong Kong Film extension activities programmes and about 160 online Archive. programmes were held. Hong Kong Central Library is the The plays an important role in largest purpose-built public library in Hong Kong. Apart from bringing to Hong Kong a multicultural vision of world art and being the hub of the public library network as well as the major culture through exhibition programmes with an international information centre of Hong Kong, it also organises a diversity perspective. The , with its of cultural programmes for the general public. predominantly interactive exhibits, illustrates various scientific principles and the ways technology is used to improve the quality of life. The Hong Kong Space Museum serves to popularise astronomy and space science. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum features a variety of specially designed exhibition possibilities to cover different aspects of history, arts and culture. The Hong Kong Museum of History collects,

GovHK Website: http://www.gov.hk Leisure and Cultural Services Department July 2021 Information contained in this publication may be freely used. Home Page address: No acknowledgement is necessary. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk