The Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC) calls for local arts practitioners and undergraduates of arts-related courses to apply for the Arts Scholarships 2008/09 to further their studies in the United Kingdom.

This year, the Arts Scholarships Scheme will offer the "HKADC Arts Scholarships" and the "HKADC-University of Leeds Scholarship". The "HKADC Arts Scholarships" is funded by a private benefaction from the Croucher Hong Kong Charitable Trust. It provides subsidies for successful applicants to enroll either in a one-year full-time study, a short term professional course of a higher education institution or attachment to an approved arts-related institution in the United Kingdom.

The "HKADC-University of Leeds Scholarships" provides an opportunity for young artistic talents to pursue one-year full-time programmes of study at the University of Leeds such as MA in History of Art, MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies, MA in Performance Studies, MA in Cultural Studies, MA in Fine Art, MA in Theatre Making and Master of Music. The Scholarship is jointly funded by a private benefaction from the Croucher Hong Kong Charitable Trust and the University of Leeds. For information on the above courses, please visit the website of the University: http://tldynamic.leeds.ac.uk/pgprospectus.

Successful applicants of the two Scholarships will receive stipend, subsidies towards air passage and tuition fees. Applicants must be permanent residents of Hong Kong. Priority will be given to those who are either in arts profession, or students who are in the final year of their formal tertiary education in arts-related disciplines.

Since its inception in 1999, the Arts Scholarships Scheme has supported 29 arts practitioners/students to pursue their studies in the United Kingdom. The scholarship recipients continue their contribution to the arts community by joining the professions as art teachers, museum curators and full-time artists, etc. after their studies. Scholarship recipients currently studying in the University of Leeds are two theatre practitioners, Ms Lee Nga-yu (MA in Theatre Making), and Ms Fok Ping-sum (MA in Culture, Creativity and Entrepreneurship).

Application forms are now available at the ADC's Administration Office, 22/F, 181 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong, or can be downloaded from the ADC's website. Applications have to be submitted to the above address before 6:30 pm on 31 March 2008 (Monday). Please mark "Application for Arts Scholarships 2008/09" on the envelope. Applications submitted by post will only be accepted if postmarked no later than the deadline. Late submission or submission by fax or electronic mail will not be processed.

For further information, please contact Ms Nadia Kwok at 2820 1082.