Arts Education and Audience-Building Programmes
In Schools
In 2017-18, the LCSD continued to collaborate with local arts groups on arts education projects in schools through the School Performing Arts in Practice Scheme. The scheme delivered a series of workshops followed by performances, giving student participants practical opportunities to get involved in the arts and learn about pathways for further study. In 2017-18, 12 projects were presented in music, English musical, dance, drama, puppetry and Cantonese opera. Projects were undertaken by Chung Ying Theatre Company, City Contemporary Dance Company, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Association for Music Educators, the Hong Kong 3 Arts Musical Institute, the Hong Kong International Drummer Festival, Prospects Theatre, Theatre Ronin, Studiodanz, Make Friends with Puppet, R&T (Rhythm & Tempo), and Kim Sum Cantonese Opera Association. To enhance the civic awareness and develop a sense of care for the community of students, the LCSD also worked with some of these arts groups and participating schools to organise Students’ Performance for the Community at community centres and homes for the elderly in the school neighborhood. In 2017-18, 12 performances were delivered to over 650 young and elderly audience members in the community.
The annual School Culture Day Scheme encourages schools to bring students along to the LCSD’s performance venues, museums and libraries during school hours to take part in cultural activities integrating art, history and science topics in the school curriculum. Some of the activities also invited participation by parents. A pilot theatrical performance was presented to kindergarten students, which received a very positive response.
The Arts Experience Scheme for Senior Secondary Students delivers programmes that link with the Other Learning Experiences in Aesthetic Development under the New Senior Secondary Curriculum. A total of 18 programmes were offered under this scheme in 2017-18, including programmes in dance, drama, music, Western and Cantonese opera and multi-media arts. Participating arts groups and artists included Chung Ying Theatre Company, Zuni Icosahedron, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, City Contemporary Dance Company, the Hong Kong Dance Company, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Musica Viva, The Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection, Pants Theatre Production, R&T (Rhythm & Tempo), Premiere Performances of Hong Kong, David Quah, Margaret Yim, Emily Liu, Edmund Kwan, Julie Kuok, Calvin Lai, Dr. Wong Wai-ying, Paulina, Keung Suet, Teriver Cheung, Sun Kim-long, Cheng Wing-mui, Lai Yiu-wai, Wang Kit-ching, Kwok Kai-fai and Miu Dan-ching.
The Performing Arts Appreciation Project for Secondary Students – Understanding Theatre Workshop Series, organised in collaboration with the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong), ran a series of seminars and workshops during the year to introduce students to basic techniques of arts criticism.
To boost interest in Cantonese opera, the LCSD presented the programme Let’s Enjoy Cantonese Opera in Bamboo Theatre with the support of district organisations. It featured performances of Cantonese opera (with bilingual surtitles) in bamboo theatres in various districts, supplemented by interactive and educational activities.
The General Education in Arts Programme for Tertiary Students (Dance) gave tertiary students an in-depth understanding of dance art through dance appreciation activities and workshops, complemented by musical elements. Students were also able to create and present their own dance and music works under professional guidance.
In the Community
Audience-building programmes held at the community level during the year included the Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme, which aims to make the arts more accessible to people in the community, and other projects organised in co-operation with district and non-government cultural organisations. A total of 19 arts groups or artist ensembles participated in the scheme in 2017-18, conducting performances in public spaces such as parks, shopping malls, community centres and homes for the elderly.
To encourage involvement by the elderly in cultural activities, the LCSD runs a Community Oral History Theatre Project in collaboration with performing arts and district organisations. Project workers collect personal histories from elderly people from different districts and turn them into scripts, with the elderly storytellers then performing their stories on stage. In 2017-18, the project was continued in Sha Tin and extended to Central and Western District, following its earlier successful implementation in Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Islands (Tai O) and Eastern Districts.
