Reformed hiring policy for LCSD performance venues and invitation for participation in sixth round of Venue Partnership Scheme announced
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) today (June 26) announced a reformed hiring policy and measures for its performance venues, aiming to provide more performance slots for use by different arts groups and establish clearer venue identities, thereby fostering a diversified, professional, industry and mega-event development of performing arts.
The reformed measures include the following:
(i) The Hong Kong Coliseum, having been accorded priority for sports events, will be repositioned and accorded priority for concerts. More slots will be provided to concert organisers, thereby promoting the development of a concert economy.
(ii) The East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC) will be reserved as the prime venue for long-running performances and arts technology. This new major venue, expected to be in full operation by end-2025, is committed to advocating the integration of arts and technology. With advanced equipment catering for the performing needs of multimedia programmes, the EKCC is well positioned to support long-running performances and arts technology. To use the venue more effectively and strengthen the professional performance of different arts forms, the Hall in the EKCC will be reserved for long-running performances, taking into consideration the upcoming Signature Performing Arts Programme Scheme. The objective is to promote the curation, production and long-running performances of more local signature performing arts programmes, thereby fostering the development of the sector as an industry, and enhancing cultural tourism. In line with the abovementioned positioning, the EKCC will not provide for venue partners. Special booking arrangements will be introduced for long-running performances and arts technology projects, with details to be announced in July.
(iii) The Auditorium in Sha Tin Town Hall (STTH) will be reserved for according priority to Cantonese opera, which is the first world-class intangible cultural heritage item in Hong Kong. With Cantonese opera's keen demand for performance venues, the Government sees the need to strengthen efforts in the inheritance, preservation, research, promotion and development of this art form. The STTH Auditorium will not provide for venue partners. Professional troupes fulfilling specified criteria can make special bookings throughout the year for Cantonese opera or opera-excerpt performances. This seeks to support high-quality Cantonese opera productions and promote the inheritance and development of Cantonese opera, ensuring reasonable opportunities for proficient troupes to hire performance venues while supporting the professional and industry development of Cantonese opera. The priority booking arrangements will be announced in July.
(iv) The Venue Partnership Scheme (VPS) will be enhanced. The LCSD is launching the sixth round of the VPS which will operate for three years (from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2029), providing more performance slots for use by different arts groups, and deepening partnerships between the venues and performing arts groups/organisations. The objectives are to enhance the artistic standard and competitiveness of venue partners; strengthen venue identities by matching with suitable partners making good use of existing facilities, and present more venue identity-specific programmes; broaden the audience base and promote the development of performing arts at the community level; and select the best and suitable arts groups as venue partners, fostering a diversified and professional development of arts and culture.
The sixth round of the VPS will be implemented at 11 performance venues, namely the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong City Hall, Yau Ma Tei Theatre, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre, Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Sha Tin Town Hall (Cultural Activities Hall), North District Town Hall, Kwai Tsing Theatre, Tsuen Wan Town Hall and Tuen Mun Town Hall.
Interested local performing arts groups and organisations are invited to submit proposals by 5.30pm on August 20, 2025. The Invitation for Proposals document is available at Sha Tin Town Hall and Sheung Wan Civic Centre, and can be downloaded from the LCSD website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/vps.
The LCSD will conduct two briefing sessions at Function Room AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, with one on July 4, 2025 (Friday), at 10.30am and another on July 14, 2025 (Monday), at 11.30am. The briefing sessions will be conducted in Cantonese. Interested performing arts groups and organisations are welcome to enrol. For enquiries, please call 2450 5692.
