THE CULTURE SECTOR SPEAKS UP
CONCERN WITH THE SETTING UP OF THE
CULTURE BUREAU &
CANDIDACY FOR THE SECRETARY OF CULTURE
Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0 – “For a Bureau, For Change” Post-Forum highlights
More than one hundred people from the
culture and academic sectors attended the Forum on “For a Bureau, For Change” organized by the
Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0 yesterday (May 12, 2012). They include
Danny Yung,
Artistic Director of Zuni Icosahedron and member of the Culture Sector
Joint Conference in the 1990s, from the academic sector,
Kurt Chan,
Anson Mak,
Linda Lai,
Phoebe Man,
Szeto Mei,
Jimmy Choi,
Sunny Lam,
Chan Ji Hung; renowned artists
Choi Yan Chi,
Daniel Yeung,
Justin Wong, Best New Director of the 31st Hong Kong Film Awards
Jessey Tsang, critics
Leung Wai Sze,
Bernice Chan, architect Raymond Fung, activists
Chan King Fai,
Tse Pak Chai,
artists from the fields of theatre, dance, music, literature;
representatives of the relevant government departments and the Chief
Secretary Elect Office, and many more. This is the second full house
since the last culture sector gathering “Kick out Timothy Fok – Our
Representative is Invisible” organized by the Factory Artists Concern
Group in April.
The forum was kicked off by convener
Chow Chun Fai
introducing the difficulties the culture sector faces when there is no
relevant government bureau to address. He said, “On the one hand,
Secretary for Development Carrie Lam says it’s alright for artists to
stay in factories. On the other hand, the Lands Department and the Fire
Services Department keep going to the factories for inspection.
Recently, the Commerce and Economic Bureau says the Copyright Ordinance
is nothing to be worried about. But it is the Customs and Excise
Department that will eventually execute the law.” The forum aimed at
engaging with past concerns, but it also put forth new agenda with
regard to the proposal put forth by the Office of the Chief- Executive
elect to reorganize the Government Secretariat. The Joint Conference
convener emphasized two key concerns:
- How
does the Culture Bureau ensure that all government departments commit to
culture as a factor in policy design and implementation?
- Cultural
space – incubate conditions that accommodate such broad issues as
freedom of speech and such specific areas as the planning and management
of land use
The Forum was moderated by
May Fung. Many participants shared their views. The main directions of the views are summarized as follows:
- The need to set up a Culture Bureau to foster the development of Hong Kong’s culture and society was affirmed;
- Participants
were concerned not only with the interests of the culture sector
itself, but also how it could contribute to the overall development of
the Hong Kong society;
- The Culture Bureau isn’t just an Art
Bureau; it isn’t just a combination of existing government departments
relevant to the arts;
- The Culture Bureau should initiate
cultural perspectives within the government and communicate them to all
policy-making bureaus on a regular basis;
- The proposed
“Re-organization of the Government Secretariat” is inadequate; there
should be time for communication between the government and the people;
- Participants
are concerned who would become the Secretary for Culture because
his/her cultural vision is crucial to the implementation of cultural
policies;
- Participants urged that the Joint Conference develop
into a platform for the discussion of cultural policy and they called
for the second meeting.
*A full transcript of the discussion is being prepared and will soon be uploaded on the website.
Convener of the Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0 and Chairman of the Factory Artists Concern Group
Chow Chun Fai appealed to all culture and arts practitioners to voice their views and monitor the proposed Culture Bureau.
After
the Forum, Joint Conference members further considered the views of the
participants and discussed the possibility of turning the Joint
Conference into a long-term organization. At the moment, it will act as
the convener to facilitate the making of cultural policies and the
integration of the people’s views on the mandate of the new Culture
Bureau.
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The
Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0 expresses strong concern over the
proposed Culture Bureau and the Secretary of Culture. Recently, there
has been a lot of talk about the candidacy of the Secretary. The
Joint Conference strongly urges the government to ensure that the
future Secretary for Culture demonstrate the following qualities:
- commands wide recognition within the culture sector
- has a professional background in culture
- is closely connected with the culture sector
- has a cultural vision
- advances cultural diversity
- safeguards cultural freedom
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Core Members of Hong Kong Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0:
Factory Concern Group –
Chow Chun Fai (Chairman), Ivy Chan, Joanna Lee, Leung Po Shan, Anthony Li, Horace Tse, wen yau, AhKok Wong, Kevin Wong
and
Dr
Chan Ching Kiu, Dr Damian Cheng, Vincent Chui, Oscar Ho, Kitty Hung, Dr
Mary Ann King, Dr Tim Li, Ellen Pau, Mandy Wong, Dr Yeung Yang
Joint Conference activities update here:
https://www.facebook.com/HKCSC2.0/
http://culturehongkong.blogspot.com/
Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0
organized Forum on “For a Bureau, For Change”
Date: May 12, 2012 (Saturday) / Time: 12 noon / Venue: Loft Stage
 |
| Some members of the Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0: (from back row,
left to right) Danny Yung, Wong Chun Kok, Vincent Chui, Yeung Yang,
Chow Chun Fai, AuYeung Shing, Anthony Li, Damian Cheng, Kitty Hung, Wen
Yau, Ellen Pau, (front row, left to right) Kevin Wong, Chan Ka Yi, Leung
Po Shan, Horace Tse, Mandy Wong |
 |
| Convener of the Culture Sector Joint Conference 2.0 and Chairman of the
Factory Artists Concern Group Chow Chun Fai appealed to all culture and
arts practitioners to voice their views and monitor the proposed Culture
Bureau. |
 |
| The Forum “For a Bureau, For Change” was packed with participants from
the culture sector. Practitioners in the arts and culture expressed
their expectations on the Culture Bureau and cultural policies in Hong
Kong. |
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| The Forum “For a Bureau, For Change” was packed with people. One member
of the Joint Conference Stephen Chan Ching Kiu was speaking. |
