Artists Group Calls For Fund, Easing Of Covid Curbs

A group representing those working in the events and performing arts industries has called on the government to provide more subsidies and for a gradual relaxation of public gathering restrictions.

The Hong Kong Events and Performing Arts Professionals Federation said the coronavirus pandemic and last year’s social unrest have left the industry in dire straits.

The group said that with the suspension of live performances under anti-epidemic measures, many people in the trade have been without work for more than half a year and haven’t received any financial support.

The group said more than 40 percent of companies it spoke to revealed that they were closing down or planned to suspend work for up to six months.

The federation’s convenor Billy Chu urged the government to give production firms and freelancers in the industry subsidies based on their cancelled events, saying that government funding for these workers is urgent.

“The events industry is very complicated and the project amounts start from maybe HK$100,000 to over a million,” Chu said.

“We would like the opportunity to work out with the government, together, and to calculate, find out the ways to subsidise the companies.”