Participatory Theatre 'Post Capitalistic Auction' Comes to Hong Kong City Hall This November

Asia+ Festival's "Post Capitalistic Auction" opens today, commencing vast array of extension activities

"Post Capitalistic Auction", a participatory theatre production under the Asia+ Festival, will be staged at Hong Kong City Hall Theatre on November 16 and 17. The production is accompanied by a series of extension activities including guided tours, art student roundtables and a panel discussion, which will take place November 14 to 18 at Hong Kong City Hall Exhibition Hall. The events are presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

"Post Capitalistic Auction" is an unconventional yet authentic auction created by Mainland artist Jingyi Wang and local curator Kyle Chung. Audiences can bid for their favourite artworks in new ways other than money, such as barter (in either tangible or intangible terms), a career opportunity for the artist, a deep understanding of the artwork and many more possibilities, before taking the art pieces home.

At a limited auction preview held today (November 13), Wang and Chung first explained the creative concepts behind this experimental auction, before walking visitors through eight works of art crafted by local and overseas artists, which will be put up for bidding at the actual auctions on November 16 and 17. Artists in attendance today, namely France's Maurice Benayoun and local practitioners Carla Chan, Wu Jiaru, Chan Wai-lap and William Lim, also shared their feelings of being part of this alternative auction.

An auction showcase and guided tours will be held from November 14 to 18, when audiences will be introduced to the participating artists, their works and more. Moreover, art student roundtables, moderated by local scholar-curator Wong Ka-ying, will take place on November 14 and 15 respectively for students of related fields to re-examine the nature and future of art. The entire programme will culminate in a panel discussion on November 18, where seasoned artist-curators Hou Hanru and Isaac Leung together with Wang and Chung will share their insights on the "Post Capitalistic Auction" Hong Kong edition. For details, please refer toasiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/post-capitalistic-auction.

Free seating tickets for the participatory theatre production "Post Capitalistic Auction" are priced at $420, whereas guided tour tickets are $60. Admission to other activities is free. Tickets are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288, or use the mobile ticketing app "URBTIX".

The second Asia+ Festival is running from September to November, highlighting the arts and cultures of nearly 30 Asian and Belt and Road countries or regions. Apart from stage programmes, there are also thematic exhibitions, an outdoor carnival, film screenings, outreach activities and more, numbering over 100 in total. For programme enquiries or concessionary schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visitasiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en.

Asia+ Festival's "Post Capitalistic Auction" opens today, commencing vast array of extension activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Asia+ Festival's "Post Capitalistic Auction" opens today, commencing vast array of extension activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Asia+ Festival's "Post Capitalistic Auction" opens today, commencing vast array of extension activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Asia+ Festival's "Post Capitalistic Auction" opens today, commencing vast array of extension activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Asia+ Festival's "Post Capitalistic Auction" opens today, commencing vast array of extension activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Asia+ Festival's "Post Capitalistic Auction" opens today, commencing vast array of extension activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Remarks by SLW on new "continuous contract" requirement under Employment Ordinance and Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance

Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, after attending Care the Carers Campaign – Carer-friendly Commendation Ceremony this afternoon (January 13):

Reporter: With regard to the new "468" (new "continuous contract" requirement under Employment Ordinance) employment rule, how would that better safeguard part-timers' rights and how would the government respond to those who remain exploited under the new rule, and what protection mechanisms are in place?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The new "468" arrangement will come into force on January 18. This is going to be a very clear improvement over the existing arrangement, what we now call "418" as the existing "continuous contract" requirement under the Employment Ordinance. The major improvement is in the calculation of working hours. Under the existing "continuous contract" requirement, the major concern for quite a number of employees is that their working hours for three consecutive weeks are quite long, with very short working hours in the fourth week, and they do not meet the "continuous contract" requirement.

However, once we have changed to "468", that would no longer be the case. If counting for over a period of four weeks, employees will meet the new "continuous contract" requirements if they worked for the employer concerned for 68 hours or more. The employers have to provide a full suite of privileges under the requirements of the Employment Ordinance. I think this is what we are trying to achieve. And for that change, it is achieved through a long discussion at the Labour Advisory Board, with the consensus agreement from both employee and employer members, and then we implement it through amendment to the Employment Ordinance.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

Source: AI-found images