‘Chubby Hearts Hong Kong’ art installation’s HK$7.8 million government handout sparks calls for more transparency on how public cash is spent
- Call comes after it was revealed on Friday organisers of the art installation, created by UK designer Anya Hindmarch, were in line for HK$7.8 million in government cash
- Cash about the half the amount offered to ill-fated Inter Miami match, where superstar Lionel Messi controversially failed to come off the bench
The organiser of the “Chubby Hearts Hong Kong” art installations is in line for a HK$7.8 million (US$997,170) government handout it was revealed after the mega event was launched, which sparked a call from a lawmaker for more transparency to ensure taxpayers’ cash was well-spent.
The amount, revealed on Friday, two days after the launch of the heart-shaped floating balloons, was about half the government cash promised to luxury lifestyle brand Tatler Asia for a friendly football match where Argentina star Lionel Messi controversially failed to turn out for his Inter Miami side.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said the HK$7.8 million the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund awarded to event organiser the Hong Kong Design Centre covered curation, exhibition production, security, market research and promotion.
The categories contained no details on how the money was spent, but a spokesman for the bureau said there were rules that had to be followed before money was handed over.
