PRESS RELEASE

The 46th Hong Kong Arts Festival opens today
Featuring over 1,700 artists in 130 performances
with 85% tickets already sold

(Hong Kong, 23 February 2018) The 46th Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) officially opens today with the ballet Anna Karenina by Ballett Zürich from the Switzerland. The opening ceremony of the 46th HKAF will be held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and officiated by The Hon Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Chief Executive of the HKSAR; Mr Victor Cha, Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival; Dr Simon S O Ip, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Mr Lau Kong-wah, Secretary for Home Affairs; Ms Michelle Li Mei-sheung, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services; and Ms Tisa Ho, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival.

During the Festival, over 1,700 acclaimed artists from around the world will stage 130 performances, including world premiere of 15 new works with Hong Kong artists, 13 Asian premieres, and over 470 complementary outreach and education activities. 85% of all available tickets for 130 performances have been sold as of today.

The notion of “what’s real to me”, an overarching theme for this Festival, celebrates the realities created and communicated through the artistry, creativity and thoughtfulness of our participating artists as they reflect upon society of the day, on humanity as a whole, and on the art which they practice.

In addition to great performances, the 46th HKAF presents more than 470 outreach events, including special events for Young Friends, education activities with schools and community groups, and PLUS activities for the general public.

The budget of the 46th Festival is approximately HK$125 million. Secured government baseline funding in 2018 represents roughly 14% of the HKAF’s total revenue. Around 32% of the Festival’s income is expected to come from the box office, and another 36% or more from sponsorship and donations from corporations, individuals, and charitable foundations. It is anticipated that the remaining 18% will come from other revenues, including the Government’s matching scheme, which matches income generated through private sector sponsorship and donations.

Tickets to HKAF performances can be purchased at URBTIX outlets (online booking: www.urbtix.hk or telephone booking: 2111 5999). Tickets to performances at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts are also available at HK Ticketing outlets (online booking: www.hkticketing.com or telephone booking: 31 288 288).

ABOUT THE HONG KONG ARTS FESTIVAL (HKAF)
Launched in 1973, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is a major international arts festival committed to enriching the cultural life of the city. The Festival also commissions and produces work in theatre, music, chamber opera and contemporary dance by Hong Kong’s own creative talents and emerging artists, many of which have had successful subsequent runs both locally and overseas.

PLUS PROGRAMMES AND YOUNG FRIENDS
HKAF presents over 300 outreach and educational events in “PLUS” Programmes and as part of the Young Friends, offering diverse arts experiences to the community as well as tertiary, secondary and primary school students. The Young Friends continues to provide a platform for young people in Hong Kong to be involved in performing arts, with an accumulated membership of 160,000 and participating students numbering 750,000 as of 2018.

For more information, please visit: www.hk.artsfestival.org.

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