The Government today announced it has disbursed $101 million to 463 arts groups or projects as well as more than 2,300 individual arts workers through the Arts & Culture Sector Subsidy Scheme under the Anti-epidemic Fund as of the end of May.

Under the scheme, the Home Affairs Bureau has entrusted the Hong Kong Arts Development Council to implement the $50 million Support Scheme for Arts & Cultural Sector, covering performances and activities affected by the epidemic from January 29 to June 30, as well as projects not funded by the council and freelancers.

As of June 2, the council had dispersed subsidies to 42 organisations, 363 funded and non-funded projects or activities and 737 freelancers.

The bureau had earlier engaged the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong (Barwo) to collect details of affected professional Cantonese opera performances from January 29 to April 30 and disburse subsidies to practitioners of various categories involved in the performances.

Barwo began the disbursement to the relevant practitioners on April 23.

Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui met the Chairperson and representatives of Barwo on May 25 to explore ways to promote the development of Cantonese opera and the inclusion of affected performances scheduled for May and June in the scheme.