Jockey Club continues its four-decade support for the Hong Kong Arts Festival

02/19/2016

The 44th Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) opened today (19 February) with support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which has been a partner of this highly-regarded international event since 1974. The Club’s Charities Trust funding covers the opening performance and several other leading productions, as well as educational programmes and free tickets for 2,500 students.

Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip joined HKSAR Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Michelle Li, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs (Culture) Angela Lee, Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Victor Cha and Executive Director Tisa Ho at the opening ceremony of this year’s festival, which features 1,400 outstanding international and local artists in an array of performances running from February to March.

As a long-term partner of the HKAF, the Trust has helped enable the HKAF to bring in some of the world's leading performing groups. The popular Hong Kong Jockey Club Series, established in 2008, will feature the festival’s opening show La Verità, performed by Compagnia Finzi Pasca from Switzerland; an exclusive Asian premiere of the Italian opera, Simon Boccanegra, performed by Teatro Regio Torino; and the oratorio the St Matthew Passion, performed by Thomanerchor Leipzig & Gewandhausorchester Leipzig from Germany.

Several other performances and associated events are also being funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Among them is Danz Up, the first street dance drama in town, part of the Jockey Club Local Creative Talents Series introduced at last year’s festival to support local artists. The related outreach activities, including roving displays and lectures, have attracted some 4,500 students.

To encourage local students to enjoy top-class artistic performances, the Trust is again funding two complimentary student matinees. Under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Student Matinee Programme, 2,500 students will be able to enjoy free performances of the classic ballet The Sleeping Beauty, performed by Mikhailovsky Ballet from Russia, on 19 and 20 March.  Prior to the shows, students will be briefed on ballet techniques and theatre etiquette, so as to enhance their appreciation of this world-class production.  As in previous years, the Club is funding a transport subsidy scheme for students in need.

Another sponsored programme is The Hong Kong Jockey Club Contemporary Dance Series, which promotes talented local young dancers and choreographers, providing them with an opportunity to perform at a high level.  This year's series will feature 12 young choreographers and their innovative dance works.  As part of this programme, the Club is supporting educational and outreach activities to enable students to learn more about contemporary dance.

More details of all these events are available at www.hk.artsfestival.org.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse racing operator and Hong Kong’s largest community benefactor, as well as one of Asia’s most prestigious membership clubs. Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, the Club allocates its surplus funds for charitable and community projects. In 2014/15, its donations reached a record HK$3.87 billion, and in the last decade alone it supported over 1,300 projects. The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$20.05 billion in 2014/15. With about 70% of its revenue given back to society every year through donations and tax contributions, The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivers a significantly higher return to the community than any other racing and/or sports betting organisation in the world. As a socially responsible organisation, the Club helps Government combat illegal betting and advocates responsible gambling. The Club is also one of Hong Kong’s largest employers with over 24,000 full-time and part-time staff. Committed to global excellence and giving back to society, the Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.