61st Board Meeting of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Held Today

The Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) held its 61st meeting today.


WKCDA’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Duncan Pescod reported to the Board that the WKCDA launched the Hong Kong Young Architects & Designers Competition, which offers an invaluable opportunity for young professionals and students to participate in an innovative challenge by designing a Temporary Pavilion to be built inside the Nursery Park in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD). Opening exclusively to Hong Kong residents currently studying in Architecture, Design or related disciplines or graduates from those disciplines within the last 10 years, the winning entry will be able to see their design through to reality with full support from WKCDA as well as receive a prize of $250,000.


On the development aspect, Members were informed that Xiqu Centre has completed its external building envelope and the target to obtain Occupation Permit within this year remains on track.  For the M+ main works contract, the erection of the mega trusses spanning over the airport railway will soon complete. This will enable the construction of the tower above to begin.  Mr Pescod also reported that the first phase of the Art Park would be completed at the end of this year while 95% of the foundation works for Lyric Theatre Complex and Extended Basement had been completed.  Members also noted that tenders for the first contract for the major works is due to return by the end of next quarter while the second contract would be tendered out in the third quarter of 2017.


On the artistic front, Members noted that the M+ exhibition “Ambiguously Yours: Gender in Hong Kong Popular Culture” currently on the M+ Pavilion has received very positive response and attracted over 12,000 visitors (as at 7 May). This year, M+ and Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC) will co-operate again and present the solo exhibition of Samson Young’s “Songs for Disaster Relief” at the 57th Venice Biennale to be held from 13 May to 26 November. The curatorial team consists of Ying Kwok, a respected Hong Kong curator, as the Guest Curator, with Doryun Chong, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of M+, serving as the Consulting Curator.


The third Producers’ Network Meeting and Forum (PNMF) to be held in May will focus on co-production planning and networking strategies.  In addition to sharing experiences in co-production and joint network collaboration, industry leaders will also present their concepts for future creative projects and look for partners and collaborators through this four-day event. WKCDA has also seen the conclusion of memorandum of understanding on the second residency exchange programme “Creative Meeting Point” for Hong Kong and Australian dance artists on 28 March.  From 2017 to 2019, two Hong Kong dancers and two Australian dancers will participate in six residency exchanges which aim to foster artistic dialogue and exploration, as well as support artistic research and development.


Mr Pescod was pleased to report that the WKCDA website had, for a third consecutive year, received a Silver Award in the non-commercial category of the “Best .hk Website Awards for outstanding performance” organised by the Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited. The website, www.westkowloon.hk, serves as an important channel for communication and WKCDA will continue to explore innovative ways to reach new audiences using cutting edge digital technology.


Remarks

About West Kowloon Cultural District

Located on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, the West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong. With a complex of theatres, performance spaces, and M+, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, as well as provide 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.