Hong Kong Coliseum to hold more concerts under govt venue reforms

The government will prioritize concert economy at Hong Kong Coliseum, long-running arts-tech productions at East Kowloon Cultural Centre, and Cantonese opera preservation at Sha Tin Town Hall.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) yesterday announced a major overhaul of its performance venue hiring policy, which the department said will “foster a diversified, professional, industry and mega-event development of performing arts.”

Hong Kong Coliseum for 'concert economy'

The 12,500-seat Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom will transition from sports-priority to concert-priority status, freeing up more dates for music events.

East Kowloon Cultural Centre for long-term shows, art tech

The newly-built East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC), scheduled for full operation by the end of this year, will become the city's flagship venue for extended-run performances integrating arts technology.

The department said EKCC, equipped with advanced multimedia capabilities, will be reserved for long-running performances, so as to foster industrial development and enhance cultural tourism.

The venue will operate without traditional venue partners to maximize availability for long-term engagements and details of the new rental system will be unveiled in July.

Sha Tin Town Hall for Cantonese opera

At Sha Tin Town Hall, the auditorium will become a dedicated space for Cantonese opera, Hong Kong's first UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage.

The specialized arrangement responds to the art form's acute venue shortages while supporting its professionalization, the department said.

Qualified troupes will gain priority access for full-length productions and opera excerpts through a new special booking system. The priority booking arrangements will be announced in July.

“This seeks to ensure reasonable opportunities for proficient troupes to hire performance venues while supporting the professional and industry development of Cantonese opera,” the LCSD noted, adding that the venue will similarly forgo traditional partnerships to serve the specialized mission.

Venue repurposing 'good news': performance industry

Veteran concert producer Siu Chiu-shun welcomed the Hong Kong Coliseum's repurposing as "good news for the local performance industry.”

He revealed that current applications require one-year booking with frequent rejections, but noted scheduling has improved as major concerts shift to Kai Tak Sports Park.

Siu stressed concert production requires eight to nine months lead time and hopes for shorter booking periods, but emphasized adequate venue availability and higher approval rates matter most.

New Round of Venue Partnership Scheme

LCSD is also launching an enhanced three-year Venue Partnership Scheme across 11 locations.

The sixth round of the scheme, from 2026 to 2029, will expand opportunities for arts groups at venues such as the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong City Hall, Yau Ma Tei Theatre, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre and Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre.

The enhanced program aims to free up more performance slots for use by diverse arts groups while fostering partnerships between venues and performing arts organizations/entities, with the objective of elevating partner groups' artistic standards and competitiveness.

Interested organizations must submit proposals by 5.30pm on August 20, with  briefing sessions scheduled for July 4 and 14 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

(Ayra Wang)