There is no doubt about it: Hong Kong hasn't enough venue space for arts and cultural events. This was pointed out in a study and report in 1997. Ten years on, the shortfall against demand has increased further. No private venues have emerged in response to this demand because of the high-land-price policy, a focus on land revenue and a lack of appropriate zoning.
Will the West Kowloon Cultural District encourage diversified and balanced development? To build the long list of venues planned there, the government has devised a financing scheme based on selling linked property development rights in West Kowloon. In this way, the 'all-in-Kowloon' straitjacket thinking continues at the expense of diversity.
Key questions remain unanswered. Where is the performing talent and the management experience for West Kowloon going to come from? The quality of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's management of venues and museums has been questioned for at least a decade. Privatisation would improve the operations and groom new people. If we started today and invested a little effort - such as making the old Central Police Station site available for Fringe-Club-type activities - then new skills could be developed before West Kowloon opens.
This would add to the mix of land uses in Central, where hotels, bars, offices and apartments would benefit from the synergy. In North Point, retaining the Sunbeam Theatre to support the development of Cantonese opera would revitalise a tradition, and provide activities for local residents and tourists at the growing list of hotels there.
Refurbishing City Hall and expanding its neighbouring facilities - such as the Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery - would add to the mix of land uses along the Central and Wan Chai waterfront.
The only real arguments for creating a monopolistic cluster in West Kowloon, other than political convenience, are complaints about the lack of alternative activities accessible on foot around the existing venues. To ensure that places like the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Arts Centre are not cut off from restaurants and bars, we need solutions that benefit the city as a whole.
