Call for Abstracts:(Conference) BEYOND THE BIG NINE – RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN HONG KONG

Call for Abstracts

Deadline: 31st January 2016

(Conference)

BEYOND THE BIG NINE – RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN HONG KONG

Organized by MA in Cultural Management Programme, Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong;

In Collaboration with Centre for Cultural Studies, Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Date: 6th and 7th May 2016

Time: 9am to 6pm

Venue: Chinese University of Hong Kong

Keynote Speaker: Professor William Byrnes

Professor of Arts Administration, Southern Utah University (USA)

Author of “Management and the Arts”

Background

For the financial year 2014/15, the nine major Performing Arts Organizations (otherwise known as the ‘Big Nine’) secured over HK$330 million of direct funding from the government, while the Arts Development Council only received about HK$120 million, aimed to support the remaining pool of performing and visual arts organizations. This disparity has been the situation in Hong Kong for decades and it raises several issues, including the lack of motivation to for the ‘Nine Big’ to break their comfort zone and to develop audiences, especially when the funding covers a large part of their expenditure (more than 50%, or higher for some groups, of what they need). Currently, there are also no clear entry criteria for other performing arts groups into this privileged class of major performing arts organizations, nor are there any exit mechanisms for any of the ‘Big Nine’ to be replaced. The situation has made it very difficult for performing arts groups outside the ‘Big Nine’ to compete and to grow.

Possible Topics

The conference seeks to explore and discuss possibilities for performing arts organizations outside the ‘Big Nine’, moving forward. Possible topics include:

1. New thinking and directions in managing smaller performing arts organizations in Hong Kong.
2. New directions/ shifts in funding policies in Hong Kong.
3. New directions in fundraising for performing arts organizations outside the Big Nine.
4. The role of major performing arts organizations (the Big Nine) in the development of the performing arts landscape in Hong Kong.
5. Discussions of case studies from within or outside Hong Kong.

Papers on other relevant topics are welcomed.

We are now calling for paper presentations (20 to 25 minutes per presentation) for this conference.

To submit an abstract, please visit: http://beyondthebignine.weebly.com/submit-abstract.html

Deadline for abstract submission is on the 31st January 2016. Successful applicants will be notified by 15th February 2016 and will be required to send in a completed draft paper by 30th April 2016. Do note that we accept abstracts and papers in both English and Chinese.

For more information, please visit: http://www.crs.cuhk.edu.hk/beyondthebignine