Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts hub ‘may cut museum open days’ if authorities fail to help fix funding crisis

Board chairman of arts hub’s managing body says government has until August to make decision, as remaining funds will only last a year

‘If the government is late on announcing a plan to resolve the funding crisis, we have an urgent need to take relatively large action in terms of reducing expenses,’ he adds

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The Post reported in March that the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority was waiting for a government decision on a proposed funding plan that involves selling part of the arts hub’s 40 hectares. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 5:24pm, 18 May 2024Updated: 10:30pm, 18 May 2024

Hong Kong’s premier arts hub will be forced to shut down its museums two days a week or reduce the number of days its Cantonese opera centre stays open if the government fails to help resolve its funding crisis, the district’s managing body has warned.

Henry Tang Ying-yen, chairman of the board at the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, issued an ultimatum on Saturday, saying the government had until August to make a decision as the site’s remaining funding would only last a year.

“If the government is late on announcing a plan to resolve the funding crisis, we have an urgent need to take relatively large action in terms of reducing expenses,” he said in a televised interview.

“For example, our museums may not be open for six days. They will have to open two days less every week,” he said. “Or our Xiqu Centre will open for fewer days each week.”

Tang said cutting opening days would reduce the authority’s financial losses, but he questioned whether this would be fair to residents as the district was meant for the public, rather than a commercial project.

Tang, who once served as the city’s No 2 official and sits on the standing committee for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said such a move would also hamper Beijing’s designs on Hong Kong becoming a centre for international cultural exchanges under the country’s 14th five-year plan.