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SCMP Reporter

THE Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has just opened its doors to a state-of-the-art computer centre equipped with two computer labs, Internet access and a Cyber Art Club.

  The centre's aim is to provide all the facilities necessary for people to stake their place in Cyberspace.

  The centre will fulfil a mixture of roles. Two computer labs are available for hire, a selection of computer art courses is on offer, and the Cyber Art Club is a meeting place for anyone interested.

  Financial backing has come in part from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. It has contributed $540,000, providing just under half the total funding.

  This investment in the centre has allowed for the expansion of premises on the 10th floor of the HKAC and the addition of an impressive range of new equipment.

  The Macintosh lab houses 18 workstations including PowerMacs and Quadras. The PC also houses 18 workstations. Additional equipment includes a laser printer, colour printer, colour scanner, TV, VCR, LCD projector and overhead projector.

  Technical support is available for a fee. The Cyber Art Club provides three computers, Internet access and computer magazines.

  There is a membership fee and rental of equipment is charged on an hourly basis. The membership fee includes the first 40 hours of each month free of charge for using the Internet, with extra time charged at $10 per hour.

  The centre is keen to promote its Internet facilities. It has 64K leased line access for fast communications. Internet access is also connected to the Helen Chung seminar room and Zeman Mesia Centre on the 10th floor as well as the Lim Por Yen Film Theatre in the basement.

  'We are the only privately funded place to offer these facilities in Hong Kong,' HKAC education director Wo Bik-wong said.

  'We were the first in Hong Kong to offer a course in animation and to offer a certificate course in computer visualisation.'   Computer art courses have been running at the HKAC since 1991, ranging from desktop publishing to computer animation. However, space was limited and initially only eight Macintosh computers were available.

  The new centre offers courses in computer illustration, desktop publishing, computer photo re-touching, computer 3D workshop and Multimedia. There have been a number of short courses run in conjunction with the New York School of Visual Arts, where visiting lecturers from the United States have given courses on multimedia and digital photography among others.

  Next summer a two-week course is planned where students will travel to the US for part of their course.

  In October this year the HKAC held an Internet seminar where speakers introduced various topics related to the Internet.

  Mr Wo hopes that this kind of course will be repeated next year so that as many people as possible can become involved in new technology.

  Future activities will include more information on the Internet, the provision of reference materials on computer art, training programmes for artists and desktop publication services.

  As well as running courses and providing computer facilities, the computer centre also acts as a forum for Hong Kong's leading digital artists and animators, some of whom lecture at the centre.

  Contact the Hong Kong Arts Centre for further details on membership, hire fees and computer courses on 2802 0798 or E-mail edu or at the URL http://www.hkac.org.hk 



New computer centre opens