Hong Kong Arts Development Council “2024-2029 Eminent Arts Group Scheme”

To complement the thriving development and evolving landscape of the local arts sector, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) is now launching the “2024-2029 Eminent Arts Group Scheme” in order to better meet the growing funding need of local arts organisations.

Inaugurated in 2019 with the support of HKADC’s Hong Kong Arts Development Fund, the Scheme aims to provide long-term support and stability to distinguished arts organisations by offering a commitment of a five-year grant. It also addresses the long-standing need for further cultivation of mature professional arts organisations.

In the new round, the Scheme has different enhancements, including doubling the total funding amount to HK$64,620,000, increasing the number of supporting arts organisations up to five, and raising the maximum first year grant amount for each art group to HK$2,800,000. The primary objective is to foster the growth of more local professional arts organisations, encouraging them to actively seek support from the society and other resources to enhance their independence and competitiveness. By providing opportunities for these arts organisations to ascend the funding ladder and attain status alongside the “nine major performing arts groups”, the Scheme aims to narrow the government funding gap.

All eligible dance, drama, film and media arts, literary arts, multi-disciplinary arts, music, visual arts and xiqu organisations resident in Hong Kong may apply for the Scheme. It supports the general administrative expenses and activities of the selected arts organisations during the five-year grant period form 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2029. The arts organisations should have a track record of excellence and innovation, possess a significant scale and solid operational experience, demonstrate capability in securing different sources of sponsorship and revenue, show strong potential for further professional development, shoulder responsibility for public participation and audience engagement, and have a five-year work plan that will significantly contribute to the local arts development and help position Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

The Scheme is a one-off initiative, HKADC will review the effectiveness of the Scheme in light of the reserve of funds held by the Trust, to decide whether to continue the Scheme after five years.

“Invitation for Proposal” and forms can be obtained from the HKADC Administration Office (5/F, Landmark South, 39 Yip Kan Street, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong) or downloaded from the HKADC website: www.hkadc.org.hk. Completed applications together with all required documents must be submitted in person, by post or by courier to the collection box at the HKADC Administration Office, or emailed to [email protected] by 6:00pm on 29 November 2023 (Wednesday). Please mark “Eminent Arts Group Scheme” on the envelope. Late submission or submission by other means, as well as applications which fail to meet the requirements specified in the “Invitation for Proposal" will not be processed.

For enquiries, please contact us at 2827 8786 or email to [email protected].