Jockey Club celebrates 54 years of support for the Hong Kong Arts Festival

The 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) opened today (27 February) with continuing support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The partnership dates back to the inception of this major cultural event in 1973, underlining the Club’s commitment to promoting arts and culture while fostering community participation.

The 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival opened with La Bella Otero by Ballet Nacional de España, one of the performances under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series. (Photo credit: ©FernandoMarco)

Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Sun Shangwu; Secretary for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Rosanna Law; Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department Manda Chan; Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao; HKAF Chairman Lo Kingman; and HKAF Executive Director Flora Yu.

Since 2008, the Club has supported three pillar programmes at the HKAF under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series. This year, the series features the festival’s opening performance of La Bella Otero by Ballet Nacional de España, choral masterpieces from The Constellation Choir and Orchestra led by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin by the National Theatre Brno.

A further highlight is the Jockey Club East-meets-West Series: Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, a Chinese-language adaptation of an ancient Greek comedy. Underscoring Hong Kong’s strength as a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, this production promotes collaboration between artists from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas.

In addition, the Club continues to support the fusion of arts and technology through the Jockey Club InnoArts Series. This year will feature a mixed-reality piano recital entitled KAGAMI by Ryuichi Sakamoto & Tin Drum. With the help of augmented reality (AR) headsets, audience members can stand beside iconic Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and experience his final performance – blending physical and digital realities.

Officiating guests at the opening ceremony of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival include HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee (centre); Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Sun Shangwu (3rd right); Secretary for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Rosanna Law (2nd right); Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department Manda Chan (1st left); Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (2nd left); HKAF Chairman Lo Kingman (3rd left); HKAF Executive Director Flora Yu (1st right).

The Club has long supported The Hong Kong Jockey Club Student Matinee Programme to give students from diverse backgrounds an appreciation of world-class artistic performances. This year the Club will provide up to 3,200 complimentary tickets to Duel Reality by The 7 Fingers – a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet in a sports arena that brings together high-energy acrobatics, dance and music. There will also be pre-show talks to deepen students’ understanding of this celebrated Shakespeare play. For details and all the latest information about this year’s programmes, please visit www.hk.artsfestival.org/en/.

The Club’s support for the Hong Kong Arts Festival, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

The Jockey Club STK Eco Eight Recycling and Ecotourism Education Project was officially launched today (7 February). Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and organised by the Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation, this three-year project includes the establishment of the Jockey Club STK Eco Eight Recycling and Ecotourism Education Centre.  The centre will serve as a central hub for collecting and processing recyclables from Sha Tau Kok and neighbouring villages, so helping to enhance waste management efficiency across the district.

Officiating at the launch ceremony of the Jockey Club STK Eco Eight Recycling and Ecotourism Education Project were Diane Wong, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR Government (5th left); Bernard Chan, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (5th right); Professor Wong Kam-sing, Chairman of the Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation (4th right) and other guests.

The launch ceremony was officiated by Diane Wong, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR Government; Bernard Chan, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Professor Wong Kam-sing, Chairman of the Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation; and other guests.

Club Steward Bernard Chan remarked that the project exemplifies the Club’s commitment to sustainability, one of the impact programmes of its Charities Trust.  Through cross-sector collaboration and innovative approaches, the project will pioneer a systematic recycling network to address local community needs in remote rural areas.  It is hoped that Sha Tau Kok will serve as a model for sustainable rural development, offering a reference for other rural regions in Hong Kong.

Club Steward Bernard Chan delivers a speech at the launch ceremony.

With the gradual opening of the Sha Tau Kok closed area, the region’s rich ecological resources have attracted a growing number of visitors to its seven neighbouring villages: Lai Chi Wo, Mui Tsz Lam, Kop Tong, Kuk Po, Yung Shue Au, Ap Chau and Kat O. In response to the increased waste management needs of these communities, the new centre will help enhance recycling efficiency, strengthen waste reduction education, and encourage proactive recycling to reduce overall waste generation.

In addition, more than 40 ambassadors have been trained to lead guided tours, green workshops and outreach activities, encouraging residents and visitors to protect the area’s precious natural ecology and cultural landscape. The project is expected to train 150 ambassadors and engage nearly 310,000 people in various activities over the next three years.

Guests visit booths at the Sha Tau Kok Sustainable Lunar New Year Carnival, which promotes a green lifestyle for residents and visitors.

Launched in conjunction with the project, the Sha Tau Kok Sustainable Lunar New Year Carnival engaged residents and visitors via booths and workshops highlighting local culture and sustainability to promote a green lifestyle.

The Club’s support for the Jockey Club STK Eco Eight Recycling and Ecotourism Education Project, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

Guests tour the Jockey Club STK Eco Eight Recycling and Ecotourism Education Centre.