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Following is a question by the Hon Leung Che-cheung and a reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, in the Legislative Council today (June 8):
Question:
In 2013, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department put forward a plan to construct a Central Repository for public museums (the Central Repository Project) in Tin Shui Wai to house museum collections scattered in different parts of Hong Kong, with a view to better preserving and managing the relics. The facilities in the Central Repository will include the first large-scale thematic exhibition gallery in the Northwest New Territories, but the construction works for the Central Repository Project have yet to commence. In addition, the Home Affairs Bureau cooperated with the arts sector, business sector and members of the community to launch a community-based art project called "Beautiful Hong Kong" ("BHK Project") in 2015 for the purpose of bringing artistic creations, such as wall and street painting creations and Chinese ink staircase, into the community. However, no artistic creation under this project has yet been brought into the Yuen Long and Tuen Mun districts. Regarding the measures to increase the opportunities for members of the public to appreciate relics and artistic works, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the latest progress of the Central Repository Project; whether it has assessed the impacts of the prolonged delay in establishing the aforesaid large-scale thematic exhibition gallery on residents of the Northwest New Territories;
(2) when the BHK Project will bring the aforesaid artistic creations into the Yuen Long and Tuen Mun districts, and of the progress and details of the preparatory work concerned; and
(3) how the authorities bring art and culture into the community (especially the Yuen Long and Tuen Mun districts); of the new policies and measures put in place by the authorities to increase the opportunities for members of the public to appreciate relics and art museum collections, and to upgrade their cultural qualities and artistic tastes?
Reply:
President,
The Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) are committed to promoting the development of arts and culture, while bringing arts and culture into the community through the timely construction or enhancement of cultural facilities (including museums, performance venues and libraries), as well as the organisation of various cultural activities. My reply to the various parts of Hon Leung's question is as follows:
(1) The LCSD is planning to build a Central Repository in the Yuen Long district mainly for storing the collections of major LCSD museums, so that the collections currently scattered in temporary off-site storages can be centralised for better preservation and management. For long-term preservation of the museum artefacts, the Repository has to meet the professional requirements in terms of climatic control, building fabrics, building services, spatial design, security, fire-fighting and storage facilities, etc. In addition to the storage for museum artefacts, the proposed Repository will house specialised conservation workshops and a number of cultural and museum facilities, such as thematic exhibition gallery, collection study room, multi-purpose activity room and lecture hall, all of which will be open to the public. Having solicited the Yuen Long District Council's support for the project in 2013, the LCSD has immediately proceeded with the preliminary planning work, including consultation with the three Museum Advisory Panels and follow-ups with relevant departments such as discussing with the Planning Department on the reference plot ratio and building height restrictions, as well as working closely with the Architectural Services Department to expedite the completion of technical feasibility studies and traffic review, etc. Subject to confirmation of technical feasibility, we shall seek funding and take forward this project as soon as possible in accordance with the established mechanism for capital works programmes.
The two current large-scale civic centres located in the northwest of the New Territories, including the Yuen Long Theatre and Tuen Mun Town Hall, are equipped with exhibition galleries. In addition, the Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Public Library, which was completed and commissioned in 2013, is Hong Kong's second largest public library with space available for holding small-scale exhibitions. There is also a Community Heritage Gallery in the Ping Shan Tang Clan Gallery cum Heritage Trail Visitors Centre in Yuen Long that displays thematic exhibitions by schools or community organisations on the history and culture of Hong Kong, with a particular emphasis on the New Territories. Looking ahead, the Central Repository will provide additional exhibition space in the districts for holding thematic exhibitions of a considerable scale.
(2) The "Beautiful Hong Kong Project" is a community arts project co-organised by several local art groups, featuring arts projects such as wall and street painting creations, Chinese ink painting on staircases and "Music Everywhere", some of which are sponsored by individual District Councils. The HAB does not take part in the operation and implementation of the project. The District Councils may consider inviting the relevant groups to implement various community arts projects according to the characteristics and needs of the communities.
(3) To further promote the appreciation of art, culture, history and science, as well as widen the audience base of museums, the LCSD will offer free admission to permanent exhibitions of five of its fee-charging designated museums for public visits, namely the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Museum of History, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence and Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum. Full-time students would be allowed free admission to permanent exhibitions of the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum. We believe the new initiatives would attract museum visitors from all walks of life and provide the general public with more opportunities to appreciate different types of museum artefacts and art collections, enhancing their cultural and artistic qualities. Moreover, the LCSD museums organise from time to time thematic exhibitions which showcase mainly their own collections, such as the "Every Object Tells a Story" running from April to May 2015 and the "Made in Hong Kong" exhibition since January 2016 at the Hong Kong International Airport to display collections of the Hong Kong Museum of History for public appreciation.
Furthermore, the LCSD has been bringing arts and culture into the community through a variety of cultural events and outreach activities. For instance, the Jockey Club "Museum of Art on Wheels" Outreach Learning Programme launched by the Hong Kong Museum of Art aims to take artworks to campuses and communities through the use of an art education truck. In the 2015/16 school year, the art education truck toured over 100 locations, 25 of which were schools and other venues in the Yuen Long and Tuen Mun districts. Artworks are showcased in the truck alongside with interactive games to immerse students and members of the public, who have never visited the Hong Kong Museum of Art, in an exciting experience of art appreciation. Meanwhile, over 400 000 pieces of museum collections are uploaded onto the Internet to facilitate public learning of museum artefacts and art collections.
Besides promoting the appreciation of museum artefacts and art collections, the LCSD has also been actively injecting elements of culture and arts into its venues in the form of public art. In 2010-11, the LCSD launched the "ArtAlive@Park Project" through the installation of four sets of artworks in the Tuen Mun Park. In 2014-15, the LCSD extended its "ARTivating Public Buildings Project" to Tuen Mun, under which a local artist was invited to create a sculpture entitled "Living Soundscape - Tuen Mun" for Lung Yat Community Hall. The sculpture was subsequently acquired by the LCSD for long-term display. Public artworks in the Yuen Long district include sculptures by famous artists, a sculpture created for the Lynwood Sitting-out Area in Tin Shui Wai, as well as a three-dimensional installation of artworks created for the Yuen Long Theatre. The LCSD is planning to display an artwork created by a local artist at the Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Public Library under the "Public Art Scheme 2015". The installation is expected to be completed by end-2016. Moreover, to tie in with the projects of the Tuen Mun District Council, the LCSD will take forward the "Public Art Scheme for the Tuen Mun District - Signature Project Scheme" by introducing more public artworks in the district. The scheme is expected to be completed in 2018-19.
To bring arts and culture into the community, the LCSD, apart from promoting art appreciation, presents diversified performing arts and cultural programmes in its performance venues (including the Yuen Long Theatre and Tuen Mun Town Hall) every year. Through schemes such as the "School Culture Day Scheme", the "Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme" and the "Let's Enjoy Cantonese Opera in Bamboo Theatre", the LCSD also presents various performing arts and cultural activities in different communities, including concerts, Cantonese operas, dance performances, guided talks and workshops. The purposes of these audience-building activities are to blend culture and arts into the community, enhance public appreciation of arts and, in particular, encourage young people to participate in cultural and arts activities.
Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:45
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