Arts and cultural exchanges
Noting that several offices of the HKSAR Government in the Mainland (“Mainland Offices”) had deployed additional and dedicated manpower to organize cultural exchange activities between Hong Kong and Mainland cities, Members suggested that the Administration should actively support arts groups from the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong KongMacao Greater Bay Area (“GBA”) in giving performances and conducting exchanges in Hong Kong.
The Administration advised that it had regularly invited different Mainland arts groups to perform in Hong Kong or had exchanges with them through organizing activities such as “Hong Kong Week”. The additional staff of the Mainland Offices were mainly responsible for coordinating local arts groups to perform in Mainland cities and assisting Mainland arts groups to give performances in Hong Kong. Consideration would be given to creating similar posts in more Mainland Offices as and when necessary.
Training and support for arts and cultural talents
Members noted the Administration’s proposed construction of the Heritage Conservation and Resource Centre at Tin Shui Wai to train heritage conservation talents.
The Administration would roll out a new programme to sponsor graduates who aspired to pursue a career in the arts and cultural sector to undertake internships in the West Kowloon Cultural District (“WKCD”) and local arts groups.
Apart from local internship opportunities, Members suggested that the Administration could make reference to the existing GBA Youth Employment Scheme and launch a GBA cultural internship scheme, so that graduates could also choose to undertake internships in the Mainland cities of GBA.
The Administration advised that apart from conserving and storing the existing collections of museums in Hong Kong, the Heritage Conservation and Resource Centre would serve the purpose of providing a platform for exchange of heritage conservation talents. In the future, the Administration would take into consideration the GBA development and the promotion of talent exchanges with other places when planning different facilities. The Administration advised that it would consider the establishment of a GBA cultural internship scheme as suggested by Members.