LCSD announces mechanism and criteria for recognising bearers of items on Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, receiving applications from January 6 next year
The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that a mechanism and criteria for recognising the bearers of the items on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Hong Kong will be developed to promote the safeguarding and passing on of ICH. Making reference to the national ICH representative bearer recognition and management system, as well as those of Guangdong Province and the Macao Special Administrative Region, while taking into consideration the needs of ICH inheritance in Hong Kong, the ICH Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has developed the mechanism and criteria for recognising the bearers of the items on the Representative List. Applications will be welcome from January 6 to March 2, 2026. The first batch of bearers is expected to be announced in 2026.
There are currently 24 items on the Representative List (see Annex). Bearers' responsibilities include launching programmes for the passing on of the items, nurturing successors, properly preserving relevant physical objects and information, conducting research, and participating in promotional or educational activities. Applicants must be permanent residents of Hong Kong. The application requirements and assessment criteria are as follows:
(1) Application requirements
An applicant is required to submit the following information:
- The applicant's line of inheritance or mentorship background, as well as learning and practical experience;
- The applicant's knowledge, core techniques, and achievements related to an item on the Representative List, as well as relevant supporting documents and evidence;
- Information on the applicant's activities in inheritance and promotion;
- Relevant physical objects and materials in the applicant's possession (if applicable); and
- Other reference information relevant to the assessment of the application.
(2) Assessment criteria
- Mastery of techniques, with a deep knowledge and thorough grasp of the core techniques of the item on the Representative List, and more than 20 years of inheritance and practical experience in Hong Kong;
- Being representative in the field of the item on the Representative List, with relatively considerable influence and wide recognition in the region;
- Having a crucial role in passing on the item on the Representative List, actively engaging in inheritance activities, nurturing successors, and ready to promote the passing on of the item to the public; and
- Being patriotic, dedicated and law-abiding, and demonstrating excellence in both moral integrity and practice of the item on the Representative List.
The ICH Office will accept applications from noon on January 6, 2026, to noon on March 2, 2026. Application forms can be downloaded from the ICH Office's website from January 6, 2026. Applicants are required to submit the completed application forms together with the supporting documents in person to the Hong Kong ICH Centre (Sam Tung Uk Museum, 2 Kwu Uk Lane, Tsuen Wan, New Territories). The ICH Office will provide a briefing session on the recognition mechanism and criteria for interested applicants at 3pm on January 12, 2026, at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Museum of History (G/F, 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). Registration is required. Details are available on the website of the ICH Office at www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/the_representative_list_of_hkich.html.
Photo source: FB of ICHO
