The Government will assist arts groups whose activities were cancelled or rescheduled due to closure of the Leisure & Cultural Services Department's (LCSD) venues amid the violent demonstrations over the last few months.

Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah made the remarks in response to questions from legislator Ma Fung-kwok in the Legislative Council today.

From June to November 3, about 84 cultural and arts activities in the LCSD’s performance venues were cancelled, 19 activities were rescheduled due to closure of venues, and 79 activities were cancelled or rescheduled of the organisers' own accord.

Mr Lau said the department will arrange for the affected arts groups to hold the events or activities on other dates and allow hire charges paid to be transferred for the rescheduled dates.

If rescheduling is impossible due to the schedule of the affected arts groups or unavailability of venues, arrangement will be made for refund of hire charges and related fees paid, he added.

Noting that the Government attaches great importance to culture and arts, the home affairs chief said its subvention for the Arts Development Council, nine major performing arts groups, the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society and LCSD Venue Partners has increased by $125 million in the past two years.

He also pointed out that a reduction of charges for hiring facilities of LCSD-run civic centres was among the new round of relief measures announced by the Financial Secretary to cope with the increasingly challenging economic environment.

From October this year until March 2020, those hiring such facilities get a 50% reduction of hire charges. The concession applies to 146 facilities, including performance venues, rehearsal rooms, lecture theatres and exhibition halls.