Declaration of independence for M+ - but museum won't open until 2018

The West Kowloon arts hub's first museum will have its own board to ensure its independence and efficiency, it was revealed yesterday.

But filibustering by lawmakers means the M+ museum of visual culture will open up to six months late, in the first half of 2018 rather than late 2017.

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority announced the changes in its latest update to lawmakers.

It said M+ would be a "separate legal entity", registered as a subsidiary company of the authority, rather than one of the authority's departments.

While the arts hub board will oversee policy and development for the entire site, the M+ board will focus on developing the museum's own mandate and vision, as well as its operations.

Under the museum's acquisition policy, a trust will be set up, separate to the museum, to own its collection. This would "remove legal ambiguity", boost transparency and accountability, and ensure artistic freedom and curatorial independence, the authority said.

However, work on the museum building has been delayed as the authority seeks cash from the Legislative Council to begin construction of the arts hub's vast basement, through which traffic will pass to ensure the area above ground is free of vehicles.