The reason for that is the long-term neglect of the arts in education. While there is a vibrant popular culture, there is a lack of appreciation in the skills of the fine arts. This limits our cultural expressiveness and creativity, and Hong Kong's future as a regional cultural centre. Indirectly, it limits Hong Kong's ability to use the arts for economic gains, such as in exporting the arts, and tourism. Modest participation in the higher art forms results in slow audience development which in turn impacts on what people are willing to pay for the arts.
Subsidies are therefore high.
The government needs to put at the core of its decision-making the development of appreciation and active participation in the fine arts in Hong Kong if real improvements are to be made. The government has consistently shown its own ignorance and disinterest in the arts. The recent move to put this area of policy under the purview of the Home Affairs Bureau is a case in point. This must be corrected otherwise policy and funding will continue to be made on an ad hoc basis. The CA reports directly to the Chief Secretary.