LCSD Performance Venues Technical Information - Leisure and Cultural Services DepartmentLeisure and Cultural Services Department
Operation
The following regulations and requirements for events held at all LCSD performance venues have been established to ensure a safe, secure, and enjoyable environment for all of our patrons, presenters, participants, artists, and employees.
General House Operating Requirements
| 1 | House Rule Standard house rule recordings must generally be played by the venue prior to the performance start. Exception can be made when the house rule is printed in the house programme, or the house rule is to be announced by the hirer by means of narrator, MC, V/O or manner otherwise agreed in advance by the venue management. |
| 2 | Smoking Without consent of the Venue Manager, no person shall smoke in all parts of LCSD performance venues [Cap.132F-Section 8], unless as an integral part of the performance exempted under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371). Application download here: Smoking Exemption Application |
| 3 | Food and Beverages Without consent of the Venue Manager, no person shall take-in, or consumes any food and beverages (including alcohol) inside the LCSD performance venue especially in the auditorium, stage or backstage areas [Cap.132F-Section 9]. |
| 4 | On-site Donation Any on-site donation activities of charitable nature in the hired facilities require a Public Subscription Permit from the Social Welfare Department or of non-charitable nature, from the Home Affairs Department before the production commences. Application download here: Charitable: https://www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/welcome/ Non-Charitable: https://www.had.gov.hk/en/public_forms/forms.htm |
| 5 | Lottery Activities Any lottery activities in the hired facilities require a Lottery Licence from the Home Affairs Department before the production commences. Application download here: https://www.hadla.gov.hk/el/en/entertainment/forms.php |
| 6 | Film and Video Showing Any film or video showing in the foyer or auditorium areas must have been submitted to Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration, and any necessary licence obtained and exhibited, before the production commences. Film Censorship Guidelines for Censors and Application Form: https://www.ofnaa.gov.hk/en/public_forms_and_relevant_information/index.html |
| 7 | Children Performer Any organization intending to allow children under the age of 15 to appear on stage in a performance is required to notify the Labour Department 14 days before the commencement of the performance using a standard notification form (CEF-6). Notification download here: https://www.gov.hk/en/residents/employment/jobsearch/employyoung.htm |
| 8 | Attendants or Chaperones shall be deployed by the organizer when the performance(s) include children on stage. A minimum of one attendant/chaperone per 50 children is required. |
| 9 | Overseas Performer Any organization arranging performances involving overseas artists, musicians, technicians or any workers is required to apply for work visas from the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Applications from overseas countries other than the Chinese Mainland; HKID form download here: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/forms/forms/id-e-936b.html |
| 10 | Copyright Any music and/or songs not registered under CASH to be played or sung in performance(s) require a copyright permit from its composer and author. Any music and/or songs register under CASH is required to submit application form to CASH. Application download here: https://www.cash.org.hk/organizing_events |
Technical Operating Requirements
| 11 | Safety Curtain The Safety Curtain must be lowered every day when all performances/ activities are finished. Scenery shall not be placed under the Safety Curtain. Any obstructing scenery, prop or equipment must be loose or transient. The Safety Curtain is a part of the venue fire safety system. In order to ensure the safety of the staff, hirers and audiences, and the curtain normal operation during emergency circumstance, the Safety Curtain cannot for use as performance drop, but may on occasions be used in an interval to cover noisy technical work. See Practise Note: Use of Safety Curtain |
| 12 | Scenery Fireproof In general, all scenery shall be fireproof, but scenery constructed with paper MUST have a fireproof treatment. The venue manager reserves all rights to request the hirer to perform any fireproof treatment and provide a relevant certificate whenever reasonably necessary. Application download here: Use of Sand/Water Effect/Snow Effect/Hugh amount of Paper/Hay/Plank Confetti |
| 13 | Scenery Setup All scenery, props and equipment brought in to any performance venue must meet all applicable regulations See Practise Note: Use of Scenery Hanging Hardware |
| 14 | Use of Nails No nails larger than 10d (Φ3.5mm, & 80mm(L)) or screws larger than No. 8 (Φ4mm & 26mm(L)) are permitted to be fixed into the hardboard stage surface. No staples, headless nails or nails driven by pneumatic hammer are permitted. All nails and screws are to be removed by the hirer after the production. Fixings of any kind are not permitted into the concert platform of the City Hall Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, Sha Tin Town Hall, Tsuen Wan Town Hall and Tuen Mun Town Hall. See Practise Note: Fixing into Stage Surface |
| 15 | Temporary Structure with Exit Any temporary structure built in LCSD performance venues shall allow an unobstructed gangway not less than: a) 201-500 seats - 1.05m; b) 501-1000 seats -1.2m; c) 1001-1500 seats -1.35m; and d) 1501-3000 seats -1.5m as a path towards any exit door. [CoP Fire Safety in Buildings - Latest Version] All temporary stairs, ramps, platforms, landings, balconies, and galleries built in the auditorium as part of the performance design, exceeding 0.38m in height and accessible to the public should be provided with an appropriate barrier handrail. |
| 16 | Moving Structure Any independent moving scenic structure shall have a safe base to height ratio of 1:3, or other mitigating design and construction factors rendering it stable; otherwise a surveyor’s report on stability will be required. See Practise Note: Stability of Moving Scenic Structures |
| 17 | House Equipment No house equipment or furniture such as chairs, tables, pianos, choir risers, etc., is permitted to be used as props or set pieces on stage. |
| 18 | Electrical Appliance and Installation Any brought-in electrical installation/equipment shall be mechanically and electrically safe and suitable for its intended use in stage performance [Cap.406]. Plugged installations/equipment to a socket outlet is considered non-fixed installations. Wiring work on MCB boards down-stream of any plug and socket connection shall only be carried out by a Registered Electrical Worker. Electrical connection work to the venue fixed installation shall only be undertaken by a Registered Electrical Worker and/or contractor (company) and will require a work completion certificate (WR1). Application form downloaded here: https://www.emsd.gov.hk/en/electricity_safety/publications/guidance_ notes_guidelines/notes_for_registered_electrical_contractors/ |
| 19 | Only competent personnel will be permitted to operate sound board, light board, followspots, rigging equipment, projection equipment, etc. Where permitted, such person(s) shall undertake all the responsibility for the safe use and continued good condition of the equipment under their operation. A competent person means a person who: a) is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance, b) is familiar with the regulations that apply to the work, and c) has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace. |
| 20 | Spray Painting Inflammable spray painting is not permitted all parts of any performance venue. |
| 21 | Use of Lit Candle and Lit Torch Any lit candle and lit torch require application and permission in advance from the venue management. Lit candles and lit torches shall be kept 1.00m away from costumes, curtains, draperies and other scenery, and requires application and permission in advance from the venue management. The venue manager reserves all rights to request the hirer to perform any flameproof treatment and provide a relevant certificate whenever reasonably necessary. [Cap. 132F – Section 8] See Practise Note: Use of Real Flame on Stage with Safety Curtain Application download here: Lit Candle(s) Application |
| 22 | Real Flame Cooking Any real flame cooking requires application and permission in advance from the venue management. Equipment setup plan MUST be presented before the move-in, and flameproof treatment of the scenery MUST be performed after the installation. [Cap. 132F – Section 8] See Practise Note: Real Flame Cooking |
| 23 | Human Flying Subject to appropriate grid, harness, and hardware condition, any human flying mechanism requires a surveyor’s report every time the mechanism is rigged in any LCSD performance venues. Application download here: Performer(s) Flying/Aerial Silk on Stage |
| 24 | Strike Out The hirer is responsible to remove from the stage within the hired booking session all props and/or scenery after the last rehearsal or performance. |
Other Licensing Requirements
| 25 | Laser The hirer is responsible to inform the Venue Manager for all brought-in laser product(s), in which it shall carry appropriate label(s) to international/national standards. Different styles and requirements of labels may apply for different standards. Please refer to the Laser Safety Guidelines for the approval of using the product, where necessary. [Cap.172A] See Laser Safety Publication & Application: http://www.emsd.gov.hk/emsd/eng/pps/oa_ls_pub.shtml |
| 26 | Pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics shall only be stored in a suitable location agreeable to the Venue Manager and subsequently licensed for such use [Cap. 560]. Only licensed technicians are allowed to prepare and discharge such effects, and such effects shall remain as demonstrated and licensed for every performance. Code of Practice on the Use, Storage & Conveyance of Special Effects Materials https://esela.ccidahk.gov.hk/en/code_of_practice.html Acknowledgement of Using Special Effects Materials in an Entertainment Programme: https://esela.ccidahk.gov.hk/en/licences_n_permits.php?type=2 Application form for a Discharge Permit (Stream B) download here: https://esela.ccidahk.gov.hk/en/licences_n_permits.php?type=2 Venue Notification form download here: Discharge of Pyrotechnics |
| 27 | Animals All animal(s)/bird(s) brought into the venue must be housed in a suitable location agreeable to the Venue Manager and subsequently licensed according to all AFCD regulations. Permission for exhibition of any animal(s), bird(s) or fish(es) shall be sought from the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department according to the Public Health (Animal & Birds)(Exhibition) Regulations, Cap.139 allowing 2-3 weeks for the application to be processed. Venue Notification form download here: Animial(s)/Bird(s) Exhibition AFCD application form download here: http://www.pets.gov.hk/english/animal_business/exhibition_licence.html#tab_02 |
| 28 | Firearms All modified Firearms and/or blank Ammunition on stage must have the EXEMPTION PERMIT [Cap 238] sought from Police Licensing Office for every performance. Notification to the Venue Manager is required. Venue Notification form download here: Intention to Use of Modified Firearms and/or Blank Ammunition Application form download here: https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/licences/arms.html |