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The Government today (March 5) announced that after careful deliberation, the Mega Events Fund (MEF) Assessment Committee supports one mega event proposal received in the second round.
Applications for the third round of the MEF will open next Monday (March 8).
The MEF Assessment Committee will grant a maximum of $2 million to support a multi-media arts project, "Hope and Glory". It is a large-scale visual arts exhibition comprising film, music, sculpture, costume, performance, painting and photography to be held from April 8 to late May at Taikoo Place. Public admission to the exhibition will be free.
It is expected that this selected mega arts event will attract more than 60,000 visitors from Hong Kong and overseas. Being one of the most ambitious contemporary arts projects ever undertaken in Hong Kong, it will add colour and vibrancy to the city and enrich the travel experience of visitors.
An assessment committee chaired by Mr Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung and comprising members from relevant fields carefully scrutinised all the applications received in the second round in accordance with a marking scheme which took into account a number of factors such as the economic, publicity and other benefits of the events; the scale of the events; the capability and track record of applicants; the technical feasibility of the proposals; and the reasonableness of the budget.
The MEF now invites the third round of applications which is to commence on March 8, and the deadline for this round is noon on April 9 (Friday).
Local non-profit-making organisations may apply for the MEF's funding support to hold mega arts, cultural and sports events in Hong Kong before March 31, 2012. Completed applications should reach the Secretariat, Mega Events Fund Assessment Committee at Room 265, 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong, by April 9.
Application details, including the up-to-date application form, guide to application and some frequently asked questions, are available on the MEF's dedicated website: (www.tourism.gov.hk/english/mef/mef.html). Interested parties are welcome to contact the Secretariat (tel: 2810 2500; fax: 2121 8791; email address: mefsecretariat@cedb.gov.hk) for further enquiries.
The $100 million MEF was established in May last year to implement the Financial Secretary's 2009-10 Budget initiative to assist local non-profit-making organisations to host more attractive arts, cultural and sports events up to March 31, 2012, in order to further promote Hong Kong as the events capital of Asia.
Ends/Friday, March 5, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:15
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