The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (July 29) that, in view of the latest situation of COVID-19, all LCSD performance venues will continue to be temporarily closed and will not be opened before the end of August in order to maintain social distancing and prevent the spread of the virus in the community. All LCSD performing arts programmes and film screenings originally scheduled in August will be suspended.
      
     URBTIX outlets and ticket dispensing machines at LCSD performance venues will continue to be closed. URBTIX will maintain Internet and mobile app ticketing and hotline services. 
      
     Ticket holders of cancelled events are advised to contact the respective event organisers or check their latest announcements on refund arrangements. For events that organisers choose to arrange refunds at URBTIX outlets, details will be announced in due course.
      
     Meanwhile, the New Vision Arts Festival 2020 (NVAF) scheduled to be held from October to November this year has been cancelled. The NVAF showcases innovative interdisciplinary collaborations and new and cutting-edge commissions from artists around the world to offer audiences high-quality performing arts programmes. This year, 17 productions from overseas, the Mainland and Hong Kong had been invited to perform, but due to the pandemic and numerous uncertainties regarding global business travel, the LCSD and the participating arts groups reached a consensus on cancelling the festival.
      
     The LCSD launched the Online Resources Centre (ORC) (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/onlineresources.html) in April, enabling the public staying home to enjoy various cultural performances, museums' exhibits, animals and plants, online libraries, as well as home exercises demonstrated by sports stars during the fight against COVID-19. To support  local artists and arts groups, the LCSD is joining hands with many of them to realise their creative works on the WeWeWebWeb Carnival platform with a view to offering children and parents a wealth of exciting and stimulating online cultural programmes during the pandemic. For details, please visit the ORC and www.hkiac.gov.hk.
      
     As well, to continue the mission of the NVAF to facilitate artistic creation and international cultural exchanges, a new platform called "(Re)New Vision" will be created to showcase newly commissioned online and on-site works by renowned local and overseas artists from October to November. Details will be announced later on the ORC, the website www.newvisionfestival.gov.hk, Facebook and Instagram.
      
     The LCSD will continue to monitor the situation closely and review the arrangements in a timely manner.

Ends/Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Issued at HKT 18:15

NNNN