The Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) announced today (February19) that the Government has launched another edition of the Arts and Culture Sector Subsidy Scheme under the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) with a view to further supporting arts groups, individual arts practitioners and freelancers who have been affected by the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic.  

     The HAB will provide a one-off subsidy of $80,000 to each of the eligible performing arts groups which are affected by the epidemic. These groups include the major performing arts groups, arts groups funded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC), venue partners of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme grantees. 
 
     The HAB will also entrust the HKADC and The Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong to provide a one-off subsidy of $10,000 to each eligible individual arts practitioner and freelancer who had earlier benefited from the Arts and Culture Sector Subsidy Scheme. Eligible arts practitioner and freelancer will not need to apply separately, Eligible arts practitioners and freelancers who newly entered into the sector and who had not benefited from the fifth round of AEF may start to apply to HKADC from February 23, 2022.

     Also, the HAB will provide rental concession at 75% for tenants of Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre and arts spaces run by the HKADC from April 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022.

     At the same time, the HAB announced that Government will provide a one-off subsidy of $100,000 to each eligible company of the performing industry through the Performing Industry Association (Hong Kong) Limited. 

     A spokesperson of the HAB said, "In light of the continuation of the fifth wave of the epidemic, and that the corresponding social distancing measures have been maintained, we hope that support measures under the sixth round of the AEF will provide some support to the arts and cultural sector and companies organising pop concerts in the performing industry, and be able to help them tide over the difficult time."

     The HAB expects that the disbursement of the above subsidies will be in batches and start from March.

Ends/Saturday, February 19, 2022
Issued at HKT 19:01

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