Hong Kong Arts Development Council


The Hong Kong Arts Development Council is a statutory body in Hong Kong tasked with development of the arts in the territory.
The ADC was created in 1995, under the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Ordinance, Chapter 472, replacing the former Council of Performing Arts. It advises the government on cultural policy for Hong Kong and allocates grants, undertakes advocacy, promotion and development, and plans programmes, in support of the arts.

Governance and administration

The administration of the ADC is overseen by its 27 members, who are appointed by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Of these, 10 are elected by various arts organisations, each representing an art form or aspect of art. The Council includes six standing committees: the Arts Promotion Committee, Arts Support Committee, Management Committee, Audit Committee, Review Committee and Strategy Committee, as well as a group for each of the 10 'art-forms'.
Council members are appointed for three-year terms. Members appointed from 1 January 2011 are:

In late 2012, the Council began a review and consultation of the process for election of its 10 'art-form' members, after criticism that the narrow base, which excluded both individual and commercial arts practitioners, was unrepresentative. As a result, the voter base for elections in late 2013 was expanded to 730 arts organisations and 1,492 individual arts workers.

Chairmen

Operations

The Council receives annual funding of HK$87 million from the Home Affairs Bureau.
In the year ended 31 March 2012, the ADC provided funding for the arts viz: HK$4.8 million of one-year grants, HK$20.4 million of two-year grants, HK$8.4 million of multi-project grants, and HK$14.3 million of project grants.
The organisation has been criticised for lacking the executive power and resources to implement policies directly, despite its claim to 'coordinate policy and planning'.
In 2013, the ADC awarded its first Critic's Prize but was promptly embroiled in controversy when the winner of the HK$50,000 award was found to have connections with at least two of the six judges. The issue led to expanded criticism of the award, such as for its exclusion of English-language entries.

Chief Executives

Day-to-day administration is led by a Chief Executive, appointed by the Council.
Office holderOfficeTermNotes
Tseng Sun-manSecretary General1997 to 2001
Albert Lam Chi-chiu, OBE, JPChief ExecutiveMay 2001 – ?2004
Jonathan YuChief ExecutiveApril 2005 – 2007
Louis Yu Kwok-litChief ExecutiveMay 2007 – Oct 2011
Chow Yung-pingChief ExecutiveOct 2010–present

Publication

The ADC produces a regular newsletter of arts news, called ArtNews, every 3–4 months.