Press Releases

The Hong Kong Arts Festival Society Announces New Chairman

September 21st, 2012

The Hong Kong Arts Festival Society announces today the election of The Hon Ronald Arculli, GBM, CVO, GBS, OBE, JP as Chairman. This follows the retirement of Mr Charles Lee GBM, GBS, OBE, JP at the Annual General Meeting of the Society on 20th September 2012, on completion of three terms as Chairman. Mr Arculli has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Festival since 2002 and was unanimously voted into the Chair immediately after the Annual General Meeting.

"The Festival is a strong organisation, one of Hong Kong's most important cultural assets and a shining example of achievement arising from community initiative. It was Hong Kong residents, Honorary Life Patron Sir Run Run Shaw among them, who had the idea of setting up this Festival over 40 years ago.

More recently, under Charles Lee's chairmanship, the Festival's annual turnover has risen from around $70 million to over $100 million, and from presenting about 100 performances to 150; with ticket sales consistently well over 90%. The Festival's scale and stature have both increased under his stewardship, with strong support from the community, from corporations, foundations and audiences.

I look forward to working with all stakeholders and with the Festival team going forward," said Mr Arculli.

Mr Arculli is a Board member of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Asia Art Archive Ltd. He was the Convenor of the Financial Matters Advisory Group and a member of the Consultative Committee on the Core Arts and Cultural Facilities of the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Mr Arculli has a long and distinguished record of public service. He was a Non-Official Member (November 2005- June 2012) and later appointed as Convenor of the Non-Official Members (December 2011- June 2012) of the Executive Council of the HKSAR Government. He was also a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (1988-2000), the Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club between 2002 and August 2006, the Chairman of the Kong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd between April 2006 and April 2012.

He is a Senior Partner of King & Wood Mallesons, the Hong Kong office of one of the largest law firms in Mainland China and Australia. He is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and Chairman of the World Federation of Exchanges.

About the Hong Kong Arts Festival

Launched in 1973, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is a major annual international celebration of the performing arts and one of the region's premier cultural events, held in February and March each year, serving an audience of 150,000. Performances take place in over a dozen venues throughout Hong Kong, supplemented by over 100 PLUS events; and 10,000 Young Friends are given special access to Festival performances and events. The Festival presents the world's top artists as well as stars of tomorrow and gives equal importance to great traditions and contemporary creations. The Festival also produces and commission works in theatre, chamber opera and contemporary dance; some Festival productions have toured to other Asian cities after their Hong Kong premiere.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

For further enquiries, please contact Ms Katy Cheng, Marketing Director, or Ms Alexia Chow, Marketing Manager on 2824 3555 email to marketing@hkaf.org.