WKCDA publishes the Report for the Public Consultation Exercise on the Hong Kong Palace Museum Project

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) published the Report on the Analysis of Views for the Public Consultation Exercise on the Proposed Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) Project (the Report) following acceptance by the WKCDA Board today.


Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding of Cooperation on the HKPM project with the Palace Museum in Beijing on 23 December 2016, WKCDA conducted a multi-pronged public consultation exercise from 11 January to 8 March 2017 to collect public views on the HKPM project generally and, in particular, on its design, programming, learning and interpretation opportunities.


To ensure objectivity, an independent consultant, the Consumer Search Group (CSG), has been engaged by WKCDA to conduct a thorough analysis of all the submissions and views received during the public consultation period. WKCDA also commissioned CSG to conduct a territory-wide public opinion poll on the HKPM project during the period.


The Report presents the overall analysis of the views and opinions received during the public consultation exercise covering the following components:


Public Opinion Poll

A public opinion poll was conducted through on-street face-to-face interviews with 1,805 respondents aged 15 or above in 18 locations at major traffic junctions, transport hubs and landmarks in Hong Kong covering Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories between 28 February to 7 March 2017. 


Key findings are summarised as follows:
 

• General awareness of the HKPM project was high, with 81.2% of the general public being aware of the HKPM project;
• Supporting views towards the HKPM project exceeded opposing views by a significant margin. Approximately 52.0% of the general public were supportive while 14.7% were not and 33.3% had no opinion either way (31.9% were half-half , and 1.4% had no opinion);
• Further analysis by demographic characteristics also showed that more supporting views were observed across different age groups, education levels and working statuses; (For details, please refer to P.9 and P.10 of the Report)
• Among the 14.7% who was not supportive, 4.9% were concerned about the resources spent in building the museum and 2.4% were concerned about a perceived lack of public consultation.
   

Consultation Activities

In addition to the public opinion poll, WKCDA organised and took part in a range of public consultation activities to involve the public and stakeholders and to collect their views using a more qualitative approach:
 

1. held an eight-week exhibition on the HKPM project at the City Gallery and hosted an online version to introduce the HKPM project to the public. Members of the public could submit their views and comments in person at the exhibition venue, by post, via email or via online platform using the questionnaires provided;
2. arranged two special WKCDA Consultation Panel meetings to gauge the views of members on the HKPM project;
3. organised five consultation sessions with relevant stakeholders to gauge their comments and advice, including two sessions with the arts and culture sector, two sessions with the professional bodies in the architectural, engineering, landscape, planning and surveying sectors, and one session with the Chairmen and Vice-chairmen of the arts and culture-related committees of the 18 District Councils; and
4. participated in one youth forum and one open forum organised by professional group/ institution.
    

Upon completion of the eight-week consultation period, a total of 1,528 valid questionnaires were obtained (623 paper questionnaires and 905 online questionnaires); views of 97 participants of the consultation activities (including consultation sessions, meetings and forums) were collected; and 58 written and other submissions (encompassing 123 individuals/ associations/ bodies) were received from individuals and associations/ bodies by email, fax, post and phone.
 

General support for the HKPM project was recorded across the above consultation channels with key findings summarised as follows:
 

• 41.2% of the respondents of the questionnaire were supportive while 34.9% were not (the remaining respondents did not express explicitly or express clearly their stances);
• 71.5% of the written and other submissions were supportive while 23.6% were not (the remaining respondents did not express explicitly or express clearly their stances);
• 34.0% of the respondents who spoke at the consultation sessions/meetings supported the HKPM project while 11.3% were not (the remaining respondents did not express explicitly or express clearly their stances).
   

To view the Report, please click this link to access http://www.westkowloon.hk/en/hkpmpublicconsultationreport
 

The WKCDA Board has considered and accepted the Report at its meeting today. Taking into account the vision to develop WKCD into a world-class integrated arts and cultural district comprising local, traditional and international elements, the anticipated benefits the HKPM project would bring to Hong Kong and WKCD, as well as the community’s general support for the HKPM project as shown in the outcome of the public consultation exercise, the WKCDA Board agreed to take the HKPM project forward by preparing the Collaborative Agreement with the Palace Museum. 
 

WKCDA’s responses to address the key views collected during the public consultation can be accessed from this link http://www.westkowloon.hk/en/hkpmpublicconsultationreport.
 

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.