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Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr Patrick Ho, in the Legislative Council today (January 31):
Question:
Through annual subventions, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department provides funding support to five non-profit-making arts organisations, namely, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Dance Company, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Hong Kong Philharmonic Society and Hong Kong Arts Festival Society. In this connection, will the Government inform this council of the following in respect of the past three years:
(a) the respective annual amounts of funding received by each of the above organisations, and their respective percentages in the total annual expenditures of the organisations concerned;
(b) the respective annual numbers of performance activities held by each of the above organisations at various cultural performance venues (including town halls and civic centres) in the New Territories, together with a breakdown by the nature of such activities; and
(c) the respective annual average usage rates of the cultural performance venues at various districts in the New Territories, and the respective usage rates of such venues excluding the performance activities held by the above organisations?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The annual subvention amounts for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Dance Company, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society and their respective percentage shares in the total expenditure of the organisations concerned over the last three years are listed in Annex A.
(b) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) operates the following performance venues including town halls and civic centres in the New Territories -
District Performance Venue
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Sha Tin Sha Tin Town Hall Auditorium &
Cultural Activities Hall
Tsuen Wan Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium &
Cultural Activities Hall
Tuen Mun Tuen Mun Town Hall Auditorium &
Cultural Activities Hall
Kwai Tsing Kwai Tsing Theatre Auditorium &
Exhibition Gallery
Yuen Long Yuen Long Theatre Auditorium
Tai Po Tai Po Civic Centre Auditorium
North North District Town Hall Auditorium
District
The number of performances and other activities of the above-mentioned five arts organisations which were held at these venues, with breakdown on whether they are paid programmes or free programmes, are listed in Annex B.
(c) The respective annual average usage rates of the above-mentioned performance venues in the New Territories, and their respective usage rates excluding the performance programmes organised by the above five arts organisations are at Annex C.
Ends/Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:25
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