Cultural Services

1. Performing Arts

We pledge to provide civic centre facilities and cultural and entertainment programmes, and to promote the development and appreciation of the performing and visual arts.

(A) Performing Venues

Type of Service	Target	Achievement in 2020 - 21
To confirm bookings as follows
(a) Ordinary	To give a written reply within 14 working days from the monthly closing date for applications	100%
(b) Special	To give a written reply within 14 working days from the monthly closing date for applications	100%
(c) Late
(i) Major facilities
a) Including Auditoria, Concert Halls and Exhibition Halls/Galleries	To give a written reply within 7 working days from the weekly closing date for applications	100%
b) Arenas of the Hong Kong Coliseum and the Queen Elizabeth Stadium	To give a written reply within 7 working days from receiving an application	100%
(ii) Minor facilities
a) Including Lecture Rooms, Dance Studios, Conference Rooms, etc.	To give a written reply within 7 working days from receiving an application	100%

(B) Ticketing

Type of Service	Target	Achievement in 2020 - 21
Sale of tickets at the box office	To serve the customer within 25 minutes except during rush periods when counter ticket sales begin for popular events and major arts/film festivals; and to supply a ticket within 4 minutes	100%
Telephone enquiry service	To serve the customer within 5 minutes except during peak hours (10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.)	100%
Telephone booking service	To post the tickets by the next working day to patrons using the service	100%

2. Library Services

We pledge to provide quality services for all library users that meet the community's need for knowledge, information and research; to support life-long learning, continuous education and the profitable use of leisure time; and to promote reading and local literary arts.

(A) Libraries

Type of Service	Target	Achievement in 2020 - 21
To achieve the following performance standards for 90% of the opening hours, including peak hours
(a) Applying for a new library card	10 minutes	100%
(b) Replacing a library card	10 minutes	100%
(c) Borrowing a library item	5 minutes	100%
(d) Returning a library item	5 minutes	100%
(e) Reserving a library item	5 minutes	100%

(B) Book Registration

Type of Service	Target	Achievement in 2020 - 21
To gazette a bibliography of registered books in accordance with the Books Registration Ordinance, Cap. 142 of the Laws of Hong Kong	At quarterly intervals	100%

3. Heritage and Museum Services

We pledge to preserve the local cultural heritage and to promote its appreciation by providing and developing museum and related services. We will also promote the visual arts and Hong Kong artists and, through a variety of education activities, help foster a sense of identity among the people of Hong Kong.

Museums

Type of Service	Target	Achievement in 2020 - 21
To process requests for school visits and guided tours	Within 7 working days	100%
To maintain the hands-on exhibits in use in the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum	At least 90% of hands-on exhibits in use at all times	100%
To provide a balanced mix of museum programmes	(i) 4 exhibitions of various themes per month (ii) 750 sessions of educational programmes per month	100% 13.9%(1)
To preserve Hong Kong's art and heritage by acquiring works of art and cultural objects	An incremental increase of about 2% of new acquisition	11.4%(2)

4. For All Cultural Services

Type of Service	Target	Achievement in 2020 - 21
Refund of fees and charges for hiring facilities, admission tickets for museums and programme presentations, fees for museum activities and services, course and participation fees for music training, replacement cost for library items and deposit for temporary library card
(a) Refund of non-credit card payment under normal circumstances
(i) Applications submitted in off-peak seasons (Jan - Jun and Nov - Dec)	To complete processing 95% of the applications within 30 working days(1) after receipt of the completed applications with full documentary support	44%(2)
(ii) Applications submitted in peak season (Jul - Oct)	To complete processing 95% of the applications within 50 working days(1) after receipt of the completed applications with full documentary support	0%(2)
(b) Refund of credit card payment under normal circumstances(3)	As refund of credit card payment can only be made to the credit card account that was used for the payment, at least ten extra calendar days are required for processing by Government agents and credit card issuing bank	14%(2)

Notes:
(1) Excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
(2) Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government bureaux and departments could maintain only the provision of emergency and essential public services for certain periods and implemented "special working arrangement" for government employees. The cultural facilities were thus closed with an unprecedented surge in the number of refund applications received. Hence, it was inevitable that the large number of refund applications had to take a long time to process.
(3) Not applicable for venues / offices where credit card payment is not available.