***********************************************************
The Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) will launch tomorrow (March 30) the first phase of the nomination exercise to return representatives of specified arts interests for appointment to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC). The first phase of the exercise will involve registration of arts organisations and individual arts workers as members of the nominating bodies.
The HKADC is a statutory body set up to promote the development of the arts in Hong Kong. According to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Ordinance, the Chief Executive may appoint up to 10 persons nominated by specified arts interests. The 10 arts interests are: Arts Administration, Arts Criticism, Arts Education, Chinese Opera (Xiqu), Dance, Drama, Film Arts, Literary Arts, Music and Visual Arts. The term of office of the current HKADC members will expire on December 31, 2010. The HAB is now conducting an exercise to nominate representatives of these arts interests for the HKADC's next term commencing January 1, 2011.
A spokesperson for the HAB said, "The first phase of the nomination exercise is of paramount importance as only members of those arts organisations which have been registered as members of the nominating bodies, and individual arts workers who have so registered, can participate in the subsequent phases of the nomination exercise including voter registration, nomination of candidates, electioneering and voting."
Eligible arts organisations and individual arts workers are invited to submit applications for registration as members of the nominating bodies to the nomination agent appointed by the HAB for this nomination exercise -- PR Concepts Asia Limited -- before 5pm on May 10, 2010 (Monday). The application guidelines and registration forms are available at the following website and venues:
Website:
www.voteforhkadc2010.hk
Venues:
HAB; HKADC; Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts; Hong Kong Arts Centre; Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre; civic centres, museums and major libraries of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department; and Public Enquiry Services Centres of the 18 District Offices.
The spokesperson also said that arts organisations or individual arts workers which/who have been specified as members of the nominating bodies in the gazette notice G.N. 4115 dated June 29, 2007 (available at the above website) do not need to apply again unless they wish to update their particulars or change the arts interests for which they were registered in 2007. Other arts organisations and individual arts workers must apply for registration.
The spokesperson added that following the close of the first phase, the membership list of the nominating bodies will be promulgated by gazette. The HAB will start voter registration in the next phase.
This year's nomination exercise will be conducted in four phases as follows.
Phase 1: Registration of eligible organisations / individual arts workers as members of the nominating bodies of the respective arts interests (March 30 to May 10, 2010)
Phase 2: Voter registration (June 4 to July 15, 2010)
Phase 3: Candidate nomination (end of July to mid-August 2010)
Phase 4: Electioneering and polling (late August to mid-September 2010)
Ends/Monday, March 29, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:01
NNNN
