Policy Address

X. Culture, Leisure and Municipal Services

198. Before taking office, the current-term Government proposed to this Council that a Culture Bureau should be set up with dedicated responsibility for promoting the development of cultural services and cultural industries in Hong Kong.  However, we were forced to withdraw the proposal due to the filibuster tactic employed by some legislators.  Hong Kong boasts rich cultural resources as well as excellent cultural talent.  We hope that the community will continue to support our work on the cultural front.

Culture and Sport

199.     The Government will continue to support the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) Authority in implementing the WKCD project, including the early delivery of some facilities for public enjoyment.

200.     We will continue to open up more space for arts groups and artists.  In addition to the subsidies given to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) to provide arts studios in Wong Chuk Hang for artists, the Government is also studying the feasibility of developing other arts space.  These include converting the vacant premises of the Tai Po Government Secondary School into an arts development centre as well as reserving certain floor area in a site at Aberdeen for the promotion of arts and culture by the HKADC.

201.     To enhance the protection of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the Government announced last year the first Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of Hong Kong and will strengthen such work as identification, documentation, research, preservation, promotion and transmission of the heritage.  We will also draw up the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage for Hong Kong to accord priority to the protection of those ICH items which have high cultural value and require urgent preservation.

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