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1. Museum mega-complex, phased development floated for arts hub

1. Museum mega-complex, phased development floated for arts hub
MAY CHAN and CHLOE LAI , SCMP 2 June 2006

Four museums featuring individual themes in the West Kowloon Cultural District could be integrated into a mega-complex, an adviser to the government said yesterday.

Victor Lo Chung-wing, chairman of the West Kowloon consultative committee on museum facilities, said the size, themes and number of museums were open to options. The government has suggested contemporary art, ink, film and design themes.

"The construction of museums may come in phases," he said. "It is difficult to predict the development of museums in 10 or 20 years' time. The group is also studying the possibility of an integrated approach, which will allow more flexibility in the deployment of manpower and resources."

Other themes, including pop culture and late pop culture icons Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing and Anita Miu Yim-fong, have been proposed in the meetings and public consultative forums, Mr Lo said.

But Ada Wong Ying-kay, a member of the consultative committee, said there was no indication among the group on the preferred theme or approach.

"We have only met twice," she said. "Views are much divided."

She also criticised the government for failing to make sound arguments or conduct research to back up its selection of themes.

Mr Lo has said selection criteria included a theme's relevance to Hong Kong 's culture and existing museums.

He added that the committee had agreed that complementary facilities, including research centres, studios and shops, along with residential development, should go together with the museums.

It was also looking into how the West Kowloon project should co-operate with existing museums, he said, but there was no implication existing museums might be phased out.

The committee will submit an interim report to Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan and the advisory group on financial arrangements by September.

Meanwhile, Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee, an Exco member and convenor of the performing arts and tourism advisory group on West Kowloon , said its members had agreed to adopt an integrated approach on cultural facilities.

"We have more agreements than disagreements," she said last night on a West Kowloon open forum. "We should adopt an integrated and mixed approach. This is a single area and we should not separate one facility from the other, or arts facilities from commercial ones.

"We should attract as many visitors as possible and our prime targets are locals. Tourists will go to wherever local people go to. By mixing the facilities together, people can do a lot of things in one go. They can shop, dine, visit a museum or see a show, and they can stay there for a much longer time."

She said the committee's consensus was much the same as the opinions expressed in the public forum last night.