Corporate News

Jockey Club continues its 44-year support for Arts Festival by bringing world-class performances to Hong Kong

10/06/2015

Details of the 2016 Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) to be staged next February and March, supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club for the 44th consecutive year, were announced at a press conference today (6 October), attended by the Club's Executive Director, Charities and Community Leong Cheung and the Festival's Chairman Ronald Arculli, Executive Director Tisa Ho and Programme Director Grace Lang.

The now well-established Hong Kong Jockey Club Series will feature the opening show, La Verità, performed by Compagnia Finzi Pasca from Switzerland; an exclusive Asian première of the Italian opera, Simon Boccanegra, performed by Teatro Regio Torino; and the oratorio St Matthew Passion, performed by Thomanerchor Leipzig & Gewandhausorchester Leipzig from Germany.

The performances and related events of this internationally-recognised Festival will include several others funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Among them will be Danz Up, a spectacular new dance drama in the Jockey Club Local Creative Talents Series, introduced at the last Festival to support local artists. The related outreach activities including roving displays, lectures and demonstrations, are expected to attract some 4,500 people.

To encourage local students to enjoy top class artistic performances, the Trust will again fund two complimentary student matinees.  Under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Student Matinee Programme, 2,500 students will be able to enjoy free special performances of the classic ballet The Sleeping Beauty on 19 and 20 March.  Prior to the shows, the students will be briefed on ballet techniques and theatre etiquette, so as to enhance their appreciation of the production.  And as in previous years, the Club will also fund a transport subsidy scheme to help students from low-income families or remote districts to enjoy these programmes.

Another sponsored programme will be The Hong Kong Jockey Club Contemporary Dance Series, which promotes talented local dancers and provides 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 also supports educational and outreach activities that allow 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 $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.

The Club's Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (left), with Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Ronald Arculli (right).
The Club's Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (left), with Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Ronald Arculli (right).

The Club's Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (back row, 2nd right); Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Ronald Arculli (back row, 3rd right); Executive Director Tisa Ho (front row, 1st left); the director Tang Wai-kit (front row, 2nd left), the playwright Matthew Cheng (front row, 2nd right) and the choreographer Shing Mak (front row, 1st right) of the Jockey Club Local Creative Talents Series: Danz Up; and the main cast.
The Club's Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (back row, 2nd right); Hong Kong Arts Festival Chairman Ronald Arculli (back row, 3rd right); Executive Director Tisa Ho (front row, 1st left); the director Tang Wai-kit (front row, 2nd left), the playwright Matthew Cheng (front row, 2nd right) and the choreographer Shing Mak (front row, 1st right) of the Jockey Club Local Creative Talents Series: Danz Up; and the main cast.

The Jockey Club Local Creative Talents Series was first introduced at the last Festival to support local artists, while The Hong Kong Jockey Club Contemporary Dance Series promotes talented local dancers and provides them with an opportunity to perform at a high level.
The Jockey Club Local Creative Talents Series was first introduced at the last Festival to support local artists, while The Hong Kong Jockey Club Contemporary Dance Series promotes talented local dancers and provides them with an opportunity to perform at a high level.

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