Arts centre: Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Yau (centre) announces the Creative October event to promote Hong Kong as a regional arts and culture hub.

The Steering Committee on Culture & Creativity has been formed to co-ordinate and promote matters relating to culture and creative industries among government bureaus, departments and agencies.

Co-chaired by Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Yau and Permanent Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development (Communications & Technology) Duncan Pescod, the committee comprises representatives from the Education Bureau, the Home Affairs Department, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department and CreateHK.

Announcing the committee today Mrs Yau said the Government attaches great importance to the development and promotion of Hong Kong's culture and creative industries and the committee will serve as a platform for pursuing policy objectives in a holistic and sustainable manner.

"We are determined to make our quality programmes more visible and accessible locally, regionally and internationally," Mrs Yau said, adding the Home Affairs Bureau will launch an extravaganza in October promoting Hong Kong as a regional arts hub. It will offer more than 200 programmes like concerts, theatre, dance, exhibitions, films and thematic festivals, showcasing Hong Kong's culture and creativity.

Mrs Yau said Hong Kong will also host the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum 2009 from October 8 to 10 when senior cultural policymakers from the Mainland and Asia, and from international and local arts and culture bodies, scholars and creative entrepreneurs will gather to exchange views for fostering closer co-operation in promoting arts and culture and creative industries.

Smart creation

Acting Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development (Communications & Technology) Alan Siu said the $300 million CreateSmart Initiative will give fund support to various initiatives in the creative industry, such as for the Productivity Council to organise the Hong Kong DigiCon6 Awards 2009 which will allow it to participate in the 11th Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) DigiCon6 Awards 2009 in Japan in November.

It will also support the Trade Development Council in leading local industries to participate in MIPCOM 2009 in France next month.

Mr Siu said a design competition for an official logo will be launched soon.

"We are supporting the production of a teaching kit to incorporate elements of film and animation in the new secondary school curriculum of visual arts to cultivate students' appreciation of and interest in creativity. We are also planning to incorporate other creative industry elements such as design and architecture in the secondary school curriculum," he said.