Jockey Club Performing Arts Venue Subsidy Scheme Rent-free performance venue for budding local arts groups and artists

28 October 2008

To provide local arts groups and artists with more performing opportunities by making a rent-free venue available, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has allocated HK$7.5 million to establish the Jockey Club Performing Arts Venue Subsidy Scheme in collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC). The scheme was officially launched today (28 October) by the Club's Executive Director, Charities, William Y Yiu, Chairman of ADC Ma Fung-kwok and other distinguished guests.

The Club, through its Charities Trust, has for many years proactively supported the development of local arts and culture. This new initiative follows the recent opening of the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC) at Shek Kip Mei, which was converted from a vacated industrial building with the assistance of a HK$94.4 million Trust donation, aiming to provide affordable venues to budding artists and arts groups. As a further means to nurture small and medium-sized arts groups, individual and emerging artists, the Trust is now joining hands with the ADC to launch the three-year subsidy scheme. Under the Scheme, the Trust will buy out unused timeslots of the Black Box Theatre at JCCAC and grant them to eligible arts groups or artists for rehearsing and presenting innovative arts and cultural performances.  It is expected that 20 to 30 arts groups and artists will benefit from this initiative each year, with the first subsidised performance taking place in April 2009.

Speaking at today's ceremony, Mr Yiu said that the limited number of performance venues in Hong Kong meant that emerging arts groups often encountered difficulties in finding suitable venues within their limited budgets. By offering a rent-free venue, the Trust hoped to give such groups more live performing opportunities, encourage artistic innovations, and thus contribute to Hong Kong's long-term arts and cultural development.

Initial applications will be accepted from now until 31 December 2008. Applications will be reviewed against a set of assessment criteria including artistic merits, creativity and feasibility of implementation. A full subsidy of the rental of the Black Box Theatre and its foyer will be offered to eligible applicants and these performances will be open to the public. Further details are available from the scheme's website at www.hkadc.org.hk/jcpavss.