The Leisure & Cultural Services Department today announced reforms to its hiring policy and performance venues, aiming to provide more performance slots for use by different arts groups and to establish clearer venue identities.

Measures include repositioning the Hong Kong Coliseum. Having previously been accorded priority for sports events, it will in future be accorded priority for concerts, with more slots being provided to concert organisers in order to promote the development of a concert economy.

Meanwhile, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre will be established as the city’s prime venue for long-running performances and arts technology. This new major venue is expected to be in full operation by the end of this year, and will be equipped with advanced equipment for hosting multimedia programmes. Special booking arrangements will be announced in July.

The Sha Tin Town Hall Auditorium will accord priority to Cantonese opera. Professional troupes meeting specified criteria can make special bookings throughout the year for such performances. Priority booking arrangements will be announced in July.

The Venue Partnership Scheme will also be enhanced. A sixth round of the scheme will operate for three years from April 1, 2026, providing more performance slots and deepening partnerships between venues and performing arts groups or organisations. The sixth round of the scheme will aim to strengthen venue identities, broaden the audience base, and select the best and suitable arts groups as venue partners.

Interested local performing arts groups and organisations are invited to submit proposals by 5.30pm on August 20, 2025. The Invitation for Proposals document is available at Sha Tin Town Hall and Sheung Wan Civic Centre, and can also be downloaded online.

The department will conduct two briefing sessions at the Cultural Centre – one at 10.30am on July 4 and another at 11.30am on July 14. The briefing sessions will be conducted in Cantonese. Call 2450 5692 for enquiries.