Established in 1995, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC) is a statutory body set up by the Government to support the broad development of the arts in Hong Kong. Its major roles include grant allocation, policy and planning, advocacy, promotion and development, and programme planning.

As the ADC’s principal decision-making body, the Council comprises 27 members appointed by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Of these, 10 are elected by various arts constituencies. Overseeing the administration of the ADC, these professional and enthusiastic advocates are dedicated to the formulation and implementation of sound policies to promote the arts in Hong Kong. The Council comprises six standing committees, namely the Arts Promotion Committee, Arts Support Committee, Management Committee, Resources Development Committee, Review Committee and Strategy Committee, as well as 10 art-form groups.

The ADC also invites local arts veterans and professionals to be the arts advisors and examiners to assist in planning and implementation of arts initiatives. Arts advisors are to provide professional guidance and expertise while examiners are tasked with assessing funding applications and making grant-related recommendations.

Vision

Our vision is to establish Hong Kong as a dynamic and diverse cultural metropolis.

Mission

The ADC is to plan, promote and support the broad development of the arts including literary arts, performing arts, visual arts as well as film and media arts in Hong Kong. Aiming to foster a thriving arts environment and enhancing the quality of life of the public, the ADC is also committed to facilitating community-wide participation in the arts and arts education, encouraging arts criticism, raising the standard of arts administration and strengthening the work on policy research.

While maintaining close ties with the arts and cultural community, the ADC also works closely with a diverse group of public and private partners – the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Home Affairs Bureau, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Education Bureau, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, mainland authorities, overseas bodies and local arts groups. It hopes to reach a strong social consensus on arts development in Hong Kong, a focal point where ideas, practices and influence converge to distinguish the city as a cultural metropolis in Asia where a thriving arts community with top-notch talents takes root.

Values

• Freedom of artistic expression
• Overall development of the arts in an embracing society that cherishes plurality and diversity in the arts
• Igniting the creative spark in a city and enriching the quality of life of the public
• Social cohesion, humanistic values and community spirit
• Equal access to culture and the arts

Goals

• Exerting influence on cultural policy-making through research findings
• Providing greater support to the arts community for artistic pursuits
• Establishing platforms to launch arts groups into the public and the market
• Encouraging public participation and expanding audience base; promoting arts education and popularising the arts
• Drawing arts veterans and cultivating new talents to raise professional standards of practice
• Exploring community resources and fostering partnerships to promote arts development
• Strengthening cultural exchanges with Mainland and overseas counterparts

Development Strategies

• Making use of research findings to exert influence on cultural policy-making
  

  The structures of legislation and of the arts and cultural sector have undergone momentous changes in recent years, reflected in the extended scope of policy bureaux’s responsibilities to include arts and cultural policies. The ADC has a role to play acting as the collective voice of the arts and cultural sector, researching into the ecology of the arts to provide timely and relevant data about the industry for the government in the process of developing and implementing cultural policies.

• Providing greater support to the arts community for artistic pursuit
  

  The purpose of the grant system is two-fold – the continuous pursuit of excellence and the promotion of the arts. The One-Year Grant and the Multi-Project Grant are introduced in support of artistic excellence, while the Project Grant supports projects that are dedicated to bringing the arts to the local community and the wider society. Comprising the One-Year Grant, Multi-Project Grant, Devolved Grant and Project Grant (including Grant for Emerging Artist), the grant system is structured to meet the needs of artists and arts groups at their different stages of development.

• Establishing platforms to assist arts groups in reaching out
  

  One of the outreach strategies is to encourage media coverage of the arts through partnership with the media so as to increase public participation in and access to a diverse range of arts and cultural activities, while familiarising arts groups with members of the public and their target markets. The accolades the ADC presented to outstanding individuals and organisations not only recognise their artistic excellence and exceptional support to the arts but also help expand public awareness and appreciation of the arts.

• Encouraging public participation and expanding audience base; promoting arts education and popularising the arts
  

  Arts education extends beyond the acquisition of vocational skills and specialised knowledge to provide an accessible, popular form of learning that forms an integral part of our everyday life. Wide public participation and appreciation and the sustainable development of the arts go hand in hand. Besides reaching out to the new and growing stratum of students and the youth, the ADC recognises the importance of appealing to the new demographic of community-based audiences. Dynamic and innovative, an array of proactive projects and partnership schemes will thrive in its capacity to motivate and mobilise social resources in nurturing an embracing environment and an appreciative audience as the public forges ahead with the vision of the West Kowloon Cultural District and the arts community at large.

• Drawing arts veterans and cultivating new talents to raise professional standards of practice
  

  To promote and develop better management practices, a range of professional leadership, development and training programmes are introduced to provide local arts organisations and arts practitioners with the required skills and knowledge. No less important are our local and overseas artist-in-residence programmes, arts scholarships and internship programmes to raise the professional competence of local arts talents.

• Exploring community resources and fostering partnerships to promote arts development
  

  Partnerships are a proven strategy for utilising technological know-how, resources and social influence. Through collaborative efforts with social and industry partners, the ADC will tap into non-government resources to carve out more space and venues for arts creation, administration, activities, performances and education, bringing them closer to the community where people can live and experience the many wonders of the arts.

• Strengthening cultural exchanges with Mainland and overseas counterparts
  

  The ADC’s active participation in the Pearl River Delta Summit on Arts and Cultural Policy, visual arts triennials, cultural industry fairs and cross-border events has inspired a fertile ground for cultural elaboration and wide audience exposure between Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau. Artist support initiatives such as the grant for “Cultural Exchange between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta” are an important step towards building an audience base in the Pearl River Delta for the future West Kowloon Cultural District. The ADC also strives to open new markets and strengthen international network by showcasing local talents in cross-border and overseas exchange programmes and in international exhibitions and festivals.

2009–2011 Business Plan

The ADC Administration Office supports, promotes and plans an array of commissioned and self-managed arts activities as well as self-managed/commissioned projects in tandem with the development strategies of the ADC.

• Major projects and modes of implementation are outlined in Annex I。

Evaluation

Towards Overall Planning

• The ADC will evaluate its business plan in the middle and at the end of the Council term. Interim and annual reports on the overall planning and recommendations will be forwarded to the next term of Council for reference. The ADC also responds to the recommendations made by the Audit Commission by introducing measures to strengthen corporate governance.