The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is celebrating 38 consecutive years of support for the Hong Kong Arts Festival. This year, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series” features a recital by Italian diva Cecilia Bartoli, a performance by New York City Ballet and a concert by Riccardo Chailly with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. To enhance interest in the arts among the young, the Club has also treated 1,600 students to a special performance by the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Jockey Club Steward Christopher Cheng Wai Chee joined HKSAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang and other guests at the opening ceremony of the 39th Hong Kong Arts Festival 2011 on 22 February. The Festival, one of the largest annual arts events in the Asia Pacific region, features over 200 performances and arts-related events presented by 54 top local and international performing groups over 39 days.
The Jockey Club has supported the Hong Kong Arts Festival every year since 1974, taking the initiative to enrich the cultural experiences of local audiences and foster the public’s appreciation of arts and culture. To assist the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society (AFS) in planning ahead and securing the participation of leading world-class artists and ensembles, the Trust introduced a new funding mode in 2008 whereby funds are approved three years in advance. This arrangement provides an average of HK$8 million each year for the AFS to bring in three main pillar programmes for each year’s Festival. One performance of each is designated “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series” with a free programme for students, namely, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Student Matinee” programme.
AFS Chairman Charles Lee thanked the Club for being a constant and generous partner to the Festival through the years, “We are most grateful for the Jockey Club’s support both in enabling the Festival to bring the world’s best artists to Hong Kong, and in inspiring young people and nurturing audiences for the future in the exclusive special matinee performance.”
To encourage local students to enjoy top class artistic performances, the Jockey Club also funds a complimentary student matinee for one of the other pillar programmes. This year, around 1,600 students were able to enjoy a free special performance of Hobson’s Choice by the Birmingham Royal Ballet on 20 February. Before enjoying the ballet, AFS organised pre-performance briefings for the students to give them basic knowledge of ballet technique and theatre etiquette, and enrich their understanding of the story and performing group involved.
Principal of Fresh Fish Traders’ School Leung Kee Cheong is delighted about the school’s participation. “There is no boundary in art. Many of our students may have heard of ballet, but not many of them have the opportunity to enjoy it. Through the student matinee and the pre-performance briefing, the students can broaden their horizons and better understand the relationship between life and arts,” he commented.
Over the years, the Jockey Club has made a strong commitment to the development of local arts and culture, having funded the establishment of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC), as well as the renovation of the Hong Kong Arts Centre. It has also launched the Jockey Club Performing Arts Venue Subsidy Scheme and an outreach project, “Behind the Scenes” with HKAPA. In addition, the Club has funded various projects to encourage people with disabilities to participate in arts and cultural programmes, such as the Jockey Club Arts for the Disabled Scheme and the creation of an Inclusive Arts Studio at JCCAC.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has become one of Hong Kong’s best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city’s major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects. It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city’s growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.
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Photo 1:
Club Steward Christopher Cheng Wai Chee (first row, 3rd from left); Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang (first row, centre), AFS Chairman Charles Lee (first row, 3rd from right), Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing (first row, 2nd from right) and other guests perform the opening ceremony of the 39th Hong Kong Arts Festival 2011.
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Photo 2:
Club Stewards Christopher Cheng Wai Chee (1st from right); Dr Donald K T Li (2nd from left) and spouse (2nd from right); AFS Executive Committee Member Joseph Yam (centre); and University of Hong Kong Professor Richard Wong (1st from left).
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Photo 3:
Club Honorary Steward Ronald Arculli (left) and Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany Werner Hans Lauk (right).
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Photo 4:
AFS Chairman Charles Lee thanks the Club for its long-standing support to the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
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Photo 5:
Club Steward Christopher Cheng Wai Chee (left) and Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang (right) with Mrs Tsang (centre).
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Photo 6:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (left) and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Director Professor Kevin Thompson (right).
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Photo 7:
Photos 7, 8, 9: Students of Fresh Fish Traders' School attend the pre-performance briefing before enjoying the special performance by the Birmingham Royal Ballet. They are particularly thrilled to try on the pointe shoes.
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Photo 8
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Photo 9
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Photo 10:
About 1,600 students enjoyed a free special performance of Hobson!|s Choice by the Birmingham Royal Ballet on 20 February.
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