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Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Carrie Yau, today (January 17) visited an artist community at Fotan to get a first hand understanding of the local arts scene.
Mrs Yau toured the artworks exhibiting in the opening studios of the Fotanian -Fotan Artists Open Studio Programmme and greeted some artists. She also learned how the art pieces were made.
Fotanian - Fotan Artists Open Studio Programme is a major annual event in the local art scene. Every year in January, the artists open their doors on two consecutive weekends to welcome the public to look behind the scenes and explore their creative works, which encompass a wide array of media, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media, printmaking, installations, photographic and video works.
This year is the sixth of the annual event with 49 studios and 170 artists participating.
Visitors can freely explore the artists' workplace and learn about their artworks and art-making techniques. To foster sharing and exchange of ideas, visitors are also encouraged to talk to the artists in an approachable and open atmosphere.
Mrs Yau said 16 organised tours for students were fully booked. She praised the organiser for holding this meaningful event which provided a platform for the younger generation to appreciate and participate in the arts.
"This is a demonstration of the partnership among the arts sector, the enterprise and the Government in promoting local arts," Mrs Yau said.
"The Government, with the recent set up of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, will continue to play its unique role in promoting culture and the arts in Hong Kong, and act as a facilitator, in providing support and encouraging community participation in cultural development and creative arts."
The event this year is sponsored by Sino Group's "Art in Hong Kong" and supported by Hong Kong Arts Development Council.
Ends/Saturday, January 17, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:58
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