The Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2008 is now open for application/nomination. Individuals/groups/schools/organisations are welcome to submit their applications/nominations to compete for the various prestigious awards. Deadline for application/nomination is on/before 6:30 pm on 27 October 2008 (Monday).

Organised by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC), the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2008 aims to give formal recognition to accomplished arts practitioners and groups, and organisations that have made significant contribution to the arts development in Hong Kong. Through this award scheme, the ADC also hopes to enhance the social status of arts practitioners.

The award scheme is categorised into Honorary Award, Award for Best Artist, Award for Young Artist, Award for Arts Education, Award for Arts Promotion and Award for Arts Sponsorship. An award presentation ceremony will be held in mid-2009.

Honorary Award aims to recognise the continued contribution of Hong Kong arts masters, and whose achievements are widely acknowledged by the arts community. Awardees will be nominated by the ADC's Council Members and arts advisors, and final election by the Council. Other awards are open for application or nomination.

Award for Best Artist and Award for Young Artist are categorised according to different art-forms. The former aims to accord recognition to arts practitioners who have achieved excellence and had significant contribution to their respective art-forms during 2007/08. For the latter one, candidates must be under 30. Besides receiving a trophy for recognition, each awardee of the Award for Young Artist will receive a cash award of HK$22,000 for further studies or organising an arts activity.

Award for Arts Education is to recognise schools, organisations and arts practitioners who have distinguished achievement in promoting arts education. It is categorised into school and non-school, with gold, silver and bronze awards for each category. Award for Arts Promotion aims to acknowledge the achievements of groups/organisations and individuals in the field of arts promotion. It is categorised into groups/organisations and individuals, with gold, silver and bronze awards to be presented in each category. For the Award for Arts Sponsorship, awards will be given to individuals/organisations for their contribution/sponsorship to the arts community.

For details of each award, please refer to the ADC's web site www.hkadc.org.hk/hkada/2008.

A chief adjudication panel and advisory panels are set up to carry out the assessment. Advisory panels will be formed for Award for Best Artist, Award for Young Artist and Award for Arts Education.

An eight-member strong Chief Adjudication Panel comprising social elites, scholars, local and overseas arts veterans is formed. They are Mr Ma Fung-kwok, Chairman of the ADC (ex-officio member); Professor Chang Hsin-kang, Chair Professor of Peking University and former President of the City University of Hong Kong; Mr Chow Fan-fu, veteran arts and culture critic; Mr Billy Lam, former Managing Director of the Urban Renewal Authority; Professor Leo Lee Ou-fan, Professor of Humanities of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Mr William Tang Tat-chi, renowned fashion designer; Ms Tie Ning, Chairman of the Chinese Writers' Association and renowned Chinese writer Mr Zhong A-cheng.

Interested parties can obtain the application brief and entry forms from the ADC's Administrative Office (14/F, East Warwick House, Taikoo Place, 979 King's Road, Hong Kong) or download it from the web site www.hkadc.org.hk/hkada/2008 . For enquiries, please contact Ms Cheung at 2820 1067.
 
The ADC organised its first award scheme in 2003 to confer awards on distinguished artists, outstanding young talents and organisations for their achievement and contribution to the arts development in Hong Kong. The awards were offered for a second time in 2007, with the first Honorary Award going to Ms Pak Suet-sin, who has made tireless effort in promoting Cantonese Opera.