Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts hub submits plan to shake up finances, warns show may not go on after 2025 without new revenue sources
- Head of Hong Kong’s arts hub says managing body has submitted plan to government on how it can utilise cultural district’s land to become financially self-sufficient
- ‘If we were to make further cuts, performances and exhibitions will not be able to go ahead at M+, Palace Museum and Xiqu Centre,’ Henry Tang says
The authority behind Hong Kong’s arts hub has submitted a plan to the government on how it can use the district’s land to become financially self-sufficient, as its chairman warned venues may be unable to hold more events after March 2025 without new revenue sources.
Henry Tang Ying-yen, chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority board, on Thursday said the arts hub would refrain from seeking government funding, but warned further budget cuts would not be possible after two years.
He compared the budget cuts to the district’s “lifeblood flowing out like a stream”.
“If we were to make further cuts, performances and exhibitions would not be able to go ahead at M+, Palace Museum and Xiqu Centre,” Tang said, referring to the district’s three top facilities. “Internally, we have been significantly slashing our costs.”
Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee, CEO of the cultural district’s managing body, last month told the Post that a one-off government endowment of HK$21.6 billion (US$3 billion) granted in 2008 would run out by March 2025.