Prizes are presented to individuals or organisations for outstanding efforts in supporting arts education and projects, while encouraging young and emerging arts practitioners in their pursuit of artistic excellence.
HK Prize is more than twice what would normally be won from 1st division winnings of a lottery draw and will be used to fund future prize awards; any leftover money is shared among winners from subsequent draws until there is one with an unclaimed jackpot prize winner ticket in each one. This process can continue until an unclaimed jackpot ticket finally appears for redemption.
As well as receiving a monetary prize, the winner of this competition will also receive a citation and commemorative plaque at an award ceremony in Hong Kong at the end of September that will be attended by Governor CY Leung as well as high profile guests from politics, business and the arts.
The Hong Kong Prize has a long tradition of supporting cultural and creative activities in Hong Kong. Recognized as one of the city’s most prestigious awards, this annual competition welcomes both local and foreign artists alike and has previously awarded to musicians, writers, actors and directors as well as organizations like film studios galleries and museums.
This year’s competition aimed to gather innovative ideas on how Hong Kong could contribute to international development efforts and shape its role on the world stage. Participants who submitted their thoughts were eligible to win one of five HK$5,000 prizes from Generocity – an organisation dedicated to sustainable global development initiatives and communities.
This article has been adapted from a news release issued by The South China Morning Post.
The South China Morning Post won 12 prizes at this year’s Hong Kong News Awards as the city leader urged journalists to uphold professionalism amid rising protectionism and global hegemony. Their city desk won two top honours for investigating illegal structures on luxury properties; Edith Lin and Jeffie Lam were awarded Best Scoop and Single Story awards respectively.
Jimmy Lai, an imprisoned pro-democracy advocate, won the Bradley Prize, which honors individuals who fight for freedom and democracy against oppressive regimes. Lai, the founder of Apple Daily and human rights activist was recognized for his tireless fight for free speech and journalistic integrity as part of his commitment to Apple Daily’s editorial independence and journalistic integrity – his son Sebastien Lai accepted it at a ceremony held in Washington D.C. to accept on his behalf.
The H K Prize, established in 1988, is an annual award funded by the Government of Hong Kong, Asian Foundation and private sector entities. Finalists for this prize are selected by an independent jury; additionally judges select one special achievement prize winner as well as audience choice winner; all finalists receive a cash award of HK$100,000.