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Policy Address

East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange

43. Embracing both Chinese and Western cultures, Hong Kong has established its cultural infrastructure and global network over the years and drawn in a vast pool of outstanding talents from around the world. The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) has become a new cultural landmark earning worldwide acclaim. In recent years, Hong Kong has even become one of the three largest art markets in the world. The current-term Government is committed to fostering the cultural development of Hong Kong to expedite its progression into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism will chair the Culture Commission comprising industry leaders to map out a Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development and enhance the ecosystem for the industries. We will:

  1. nurture a diversified talent pool – The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) ranks first in the Performing Arts category among all higher education institutions in Asia. We have asked the HKAPA to look into ways to nurture arts and cultural talents for Hong Kong and the GBA, and to establish a new campus in the Northern Metropolis and raise the proportion of non-local students. Moreover, we will launch various arts and cultural internship programmes and subsidise HKAPA students or those studying arts and cultural programmes in universities to undertake internships in arts groups and the WKCD. Additional resources will also be deployed to support and nurture promising and budding arts groups and artists. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will continue to collaborate with the WKCD in grooming more professionals to develop Hong Kong into a regional centre for arts conservation and restoration. Also, to establish a thriving and diversified arts, cultural and creative ecosystem, we will continue to attract more talents in and outside Hong Kong to pursue their aspirations here;

  2. continuously upgrade cultural infrastructure – We will map out a new 10-year development blueprint for arts and cultural facilities, including plans to increase the number of LCSD's museums to 19 and the number of seats at performance venues by about 50%. The East Kowloon Cultural Centre will be commissioned in phases starting from next year, and will become a base for accelerating the promotion and application of integrated "Arts+Tech". To leverage market forces for the development of the arts and cultural sector, we will also devise measures to encourage the provision of arts and cultural facilities such as theatres in private developments;