Sha Tin Town Hall
	Booking Arrangements
       (w.e.f. 1 June 2020)	
			
	Auditorium / Cultural Activities Hall /
  Exhibition Gallery	Music Studio / Dance Studio / Lecture Rooms / Conference Room / Practice Rooms	

Ordinary Bookings
and
Late Bookings	
Ordinary Booking applications are accepted not less than 3 months but not more than 7 months in advance of the month of hire and processed collectively(e.g. applications for March – July 2020 are accepted in December 2019). (Note)
Completed  application  forms  shall  reach  the  booking  office  of  Sha  Tin  Town  Hall or via on-line application of e-APS at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/eaps before 5:30pm on the last working day* of the month. A reply will be provided within 14 working days thereafter.

If there is more than one applicant applying for the same slot, applications will be considered by taking into account the following factors and weightings:

Auditorium / Cultural Activities Hall
-	Nature of the proposed function (20%)
Arts-related activities such as concerts (orchestral, chamber, instrumental, vocal or jazz), opera, drama / musical, dance, Chinese opera, Chinese operatic songs or excerpts will be given preference
-	Artistic merit of the proposed function (45%)
Activities with good artistic merit will be given preference
-	Value of the proposed function to the promotion of arts and culture in the community (15%)
Activities contributing to the promotion of arts and culture in the community will be given preference
-	New applicant organising arts-related functions or not / organising ability of past successful hirer, and duration of period applied for (20%)
Exhibition Gallery
-	Nature of the proposed function (30%)
Arts-related exhibitions will be given preference
-	Artistic merit of the proposed function (40%)
Activities with good artistic merit will be given preference
-	Value of the proposed function to the promotion of arts and culture in the community (15%)
Activities contributing to the promotion of arts and culture in the community will be given preference
-	New applicant organising arts-related functions or not / organising ability of past successful hirer, and duration of period applied for (15%)
Should competing applicants score the same marks in the aforesaid stage, the applications will be further considered by taking into account the following factors which carry the same scoring weighting:

-	Interval between the proposed date of hire and the last successful booking of the same facility 
-	Number of days booked at the same facility within the 12 months preceding the proposed date of hire
-	Attendance at the last function held at the same facility (not applicable to the Exhibition Gallery / Plaza)

If, after the aforesaid two stages of assessment, there is still more than one applicant scoring the same marks, the slot concerned will be allocated by ballot through the computerised booking system.
	
Ordinary Booking applications are accepted twice a year in January and July for a maximum period of half-year 6 months in advance.  Details are as follows:

Submission Date	
Booking Period	

January	
July – Dec of the same year	

July	
Jan – June of the following year	

Completed  application  forms  shall  reach  the  booking  office  of  Sha  Tin  Town  Hall or via on-line application of e-APS at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/eaps before 5:30 pm on the last working day* of January or July.

If there is more than one applicant applying for the same slot, applications will be considered by taking into account the following factors and weightings:
-	Nature of the proposed function, and whether the proposed function complies with the designated use of the facility (30%)
Arts-related activities that comply with the designated use of the facility will be given preference (the designated use of the Dance Studio and Music Studio is dance, music, theatre, Chinese Opera, and all other kinds of performing arts activities; the designated use of the Lecture Rooms and Conference Room is all activities, meetings, talks, workshops and training classes related to performing arts, visual arts and literary arts; the designated use of the Practice Rooms is instrumental and vocal practice)
-	Number of hours of hire applied for and whether arts-related functions will be held for a continuous period of six months (40%)
Arts-related activities will be given preference
-	Value of the proposed function to the promotion of arts and culture in the community (15%)
Activities contributing to the promotion of arts and culture in the community will be given preference
-	New Applicant organising arts-related functions or not / organising ability of past successful hirer (15%)

If, after assessment, there is still more than one applicant scoring the same marks, the slot concerned will be allocated by ballot through the computerised booking system.
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Applications received after Ordinary Booking Period are considered as Late Bookings, which will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis. Applications received less than 14 days prior to the date of hire will only be considered subject to operational feasibility.	

	Auditorium / Cultural Activities Hall /
  Exhibition Gallery  	Music Studio / Dance Studio / Lecture Rooms / Conference Room / Practice Rooms	
	
Late Booking applications are accepted less than 3 months prior to the month of hire and will only be considered on individual merit subject to operational feasibility. Applications will be processed in one lot on a weekly basis. Completed application forms will be accepted during office hours on working days before 5:30 p.m.

(Note: Applications for non-arts activities will only be accepted 3 months or less prior to the month of hire, with the exception for applications by government departments, District Councils or registered schools.)

Special Bookings	
Events requiring a longer lead-time for planning and preparation (e.g. cultural performances involving renowned visiting artists) are eligible to apply for Special Bookings.

Special Booking applications are accepted not less than 8 months but not more than 24 months in advance of the month of the hire.  Completed application forms shall reach the booking office of Sha Tin Town Hall or via on-line application of e-APS at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/eaps before 5:30pm on the last working day* of the month.

A reply will be provided within 14 working days thereafter.
	
Will only be exceptionally considered on individual merit.	

Supporting Documents	
For organisations, the booking applications shall include copies of :
(i)	Certificate of business registration; or
(ii)	Certificate of incorporation under the Companies Ordinance Cap. 622; or
(iii)	Notification of establishment of a society under the Societies Ordinance Cap. 151; or
(iv)	Certificate of registration of a society under the Societies Ordinance Cap. 151; or
(v)	Certificate of registration on the list of approved charitable institutions or trusts of a public character; or
(vi)	Certificate of registration of a school or certificate of incorporation under the Education Ordinance Cap. 279.
 
For individuals, applicants shall present their identity cards/passports for checking when they return applications in person. Applications submitted by a third party/post/fax shall be accompanied by a copy of the applicants’ identity cards/passports.

Application Procedure for Concessionary Rates for Non-profit Organisations Scheme		

(1)	The applicant shall furnish the following together with the application form :-	

	(a)	(i)	Certificate of incorporation under the Companies Ordinance Cap. 622; or 	

		(ii)	Certificate of registration or notification of establishment of a society under the Societies Ordinance Cap. 151; or 	

		(iii)	Certificate of registration on the list of approved charitable institutions or trusts of a public character; and	

	(b)	a copy of the Memorandum (if any) and Articles of Association or the Constitution duly signed by the Chairman and one other office-bearer to the effect that it is a true copy. The Memorandum (if any) and Articles of Association or the Constitution of the applicant must include a clause specifying that members do not take any share of the profits or any share of the assets upon dissolution.	

(2)	For charitable fund-raising event organised by an applicant eligible for concessionary rates, the applicant can opt for waiver of the “Charges Based on Gross Ticket Proceeds” and pay the full basic hire charges at normal rates. In such cases, a confirmation letter issued by the charitable institution(s) that will accept the raised funds has to be provided. The said charitable institution(s) must be registered on the list of approved charitable institutions or trusts of a public character.	

(3)	The applicant is required to submit a copy each of all relevant publicity materials one month before the function.  A copy of the house programme shall also be submitted on or before the first day of the function.	

(4)	The approval of concessionary rates is subject to the applicant's absolute compliance with the criteria for Concessionary Rates for Non-profit Organisations Scheme (please refer to Scale V(D) of the Sha Tin Town Hall Scales of Hire Charges) and observance of the Terms and Conditions of Hire.  If the applicant fails to observe this condition or any information provided by the applicant is found to be untrue, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department reserves the right to charge the full normal rates and recover all outstanding amounts.	

(5)	The Leisure and Cultural Services Department reserves all right to interpret the criteria under this scheme and to decide whether the applicant is eligible for concessionary rates. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s decision shall be final.	

	
Remarks	(1)	All information and documents submitted by the applicant in support of the booking application shall be update, valid and subsisting with regard to the legal status of the applicant/ organisation.  The applicant shall provide any further information and documents in respect of any changes thereto.
(2)	The applicant may be liable to be prosecuted should any false information and/or invalid documents be provided in the booking application.
(3)	It is an offence under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance Cap. 201 for any applicant/ its members, employees, agents and contractors to offer any advantage to any officer of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in connection with the booking application or in connection with dealings of any kind with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.	
			
Enquiries    	:	2694 2550 (Major Facilities) / 2694 2551 (Minor Facilities)     
Monday to Friday from 9am to 5:45pm (except public holidays)	
Fax	:	2693 4878	
Address	:	Sha Tin Town Hall, No.1 Yuen Wo Road, Sha Tin, N.T.	
			
*Working day refers to Monday to Friday except public holidays