An arts and culture policy requires direction and vision, and usually, money. We seem to have a fair amount of the latter, but less of the former. The government has said it wants Hong Kong to become an international cultural centre and has earmarked billions of dollars to achieve that aim. This provides facilities and funds artistic ventures, but ignores a basic principle: culture cannot simply be bought.
This lack of understanding is evident in the difficulties being faced by major arts and cultural groups.
They complain about overly bureaucratic regulation and being treated like commercial ventures. Most of all, they contend there is little support for their efforts.
Heavy subsidies would seem to prove otherwise, but that is not what is meant by a lack of backing. Groups like the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society are grateful for the funding; without it, they would struggle to survive. What the orchestra's chief conductor, Edo de Waart, and other prominent arts community figures gripe about is a perceived lack of government empathy for the arts.
He rightly wonders why there seems to be indifference when almost HK$22 billion is being put towards constructing international-standard venues at the West Kowloon arts district.
De Waart, who has decided to quit the orchestra in 2012, is confused why his efforts to build a more muscular ensemble have been rebuffed.
He recently told this newspaper he had never felt that authorities were behind his endeavours. Funding cuts in 2002 have never been restored and he believed pressure from management to rein in costs had stifled creativity.