Corporate News

Jockey Club continues strong support for 2018 Arts Festival

02/23/2018

The 46th Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) opened today (23 February) with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust maintaining its four-decade-long support for this leading arts extravaganza. The Club’s funding this year covers the opening performance and several other leading productions, as well as various educational programmes.

Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip was joined at the opening ceremony by HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam; Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah; Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Michelle Li; and Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Victor Cha and Executive Director Tisa Ho. The 2018 HKAF features some 130 performance presented by top local and international performing groups running from February to March.

As a long-term partner of the HKAF, the Trust has through its donations enabled the HKAF to bring in three main pillar programmes under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series since 2008. This year the Series features the festival’s opening show, Anna Karenina performed by Switzerland's Ballett Zürich, which is an exclusive Asian premiere; another exclusive Asian premiere, Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, performed by the Welsh National Opera; anda Rachmaninov piano concerto cycle performed by star soloist Denis Matsuev with theState Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia "Evgeny Svetlanov", conducted by Kristjan Järvi.

Other exciting performances and associated events include:

Jockey Club Local Creative Talents Series - Pavilion of a Hundred Flowers, a widely-acclaimed Cantonese opera classic which will see new energy injected into this traditional art form. Related educational activities, including lecture demonstrations and experimental workshops, are expected to reach some 4,600 students.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Contemporary Dance Series, which promotes local talent by featuring young dancers and choreographers and their innovative dance works. Now entering its seventh year, the series will comprise 12 performances under the themes of The Battle ZoneaĦ¨?Vortex, Dance Exchange, and Dance off. As part of this programme, the Club is also supporting educational and outreach activities that allow students to learn more about contemporary dance. Over 5,000 participants will benefit.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Student Matinee Programme, which will enable about 2,500 students to enjoy free special performances of Whipped Creamby the American Ballet Theatre on 23 and 24 March. To enhance their appreciation of the programmes, the students will learn about the performers and the content of the programmes through pre-show workshops. As in previous years, the Club will fund a transport subsidy scheme to help students from remote districts enjoy these programmes.

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 racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2016/17, the Club’s total direct return to the community was HK$30.5 billion. It is Hong Kong's largest single taxpayer, one of the city’s major employers and one of the world's top ten charity donors. The Club is always "riding high together for a better future" with the people of Hong Kong.

Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip (front row, 2nd left) is joined at the opening ceremony of the 46th Hong Kong Arts Festival by HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam (front row, 3rd left); Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah (front row, 2nd right); Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Michelle Li (front row, 1st left); and Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Victor Cha (front row, 3rd right) and Executive Director Tisa Ho (front row, 1st right).
Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip (front row, 2nd left) is joined at the opening ceremony of the 46th Hong Kong Arts Festival by HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam (front row, 3rd left); Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah (front row, 2nd right); Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Michelle Li (front row, 1st left); and Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Victor Cha (front row, 3rd right) and Executive Director Tisa Ho (front row, 1st right).

Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip and wife (2nd left and centre), Deputy Chairman Mr and Mrs Anthony W K Chow (4th right and 4th left), Executive Director, Charities and Community, Mr and Mrs Leong Cheung (2nd right and 1st right) and other guests.
Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip and wife (2nd left and centre), Deputy Chairman Mr and Mrs Anthony W K Chow (4th right and 4th left), Executive Director, Charities and Community, Mr and Mrs Leong Cheung (2nd right and 1st right) and other guests.

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