(Photo : ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
Hong Kong's premier arts district has been warned that if the government does not resolve its funding crisis, it will be forced to close its museums two days a week or reduce the days its Cantonese opera center remains open.
West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is home to M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and the Xiqu Centre for Chinese Opera.
On Saturday, May 25, Henry Tang Ying-yen, chairman of the board at the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, gave the government until August to decide on the site's remaining funding, which would only last a year.
In a televised interview, he said that if the government is late in announcing a plan to resolve the funding crisis, they have an urgent need to take relatively large action to reduce expenses.
"For example, our museums may not be open for six days. They will have to open two days less every week," he explained. "Or our Xiqu Centre will open for fewer days each week."
Furthermore, Tang said cutting the opening days would lessen the authority's financial losses. However, he questioned if this would be fair for the locals, given that the district was intended for public use rather than as a commercial project.
He noted that Beijing's plans for Hong Kong to become a hub for international cultural exchanges under the 14th five-year plan would also be hampered by this action.
Lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, a member of the legislature's panel on Home Affairs, Culture, and Sports, said he hoped the arts district would not need to close any of its facilities.
Cheng also mentioned that the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority had been working hard to save costs while boosting events at their venues.
He recommended that the arts hub explore more ways to reduce expenses and boost revenue by changing its entrance fees, rents, and mix of souvenir products.
Furthermore, the lawmakers advised that the government should give the arts hub more exposure and improve transport connectivity in addition to funding and increasing revenue.
