HK launches $10m Signature Performing Arts Programme’ to support the arts

The selected programme must hold at least 15 stage performances in Hong Kong and attract at least 10,000 paid audience members.

The government has launched the Signature Performing Arts Programme scheme, which aims to identify and select performing arts productions with potential and support them to become representative and large-scale local productions for long-running performances. 

Each selected programme under the scheme will receive a maximum direct subsidy of $10m to support expenses for creative concepts, stage productions, venue rentals, and marketing and promotion of the programme.

The scheme will also provide a matching subsidy of up to $5m to each selected programme to match the private sponsorship raised and box income received, bringing in resources from the community to jointly advance local performing arts and encourage the selected programmes to seek wider audience support. 

The selected programme must hold at least 15 stage performances in Hong Kong and attract at least 10,000 paid audience members.

If a selected programme can make a profit in its first round of performances and stage a second round of a similar scale in Hong Kong within the following 18 months, an additional subsidy equivalent to 20% of the total funding support for the first round of the programme will be provided.

The scheme will be implemented in two rounds, with two quotas under each round. 

Application details for the first round will be announced in November, and the scheme will be open for applications before the end of this year.