Tap Seac arts center expected to attract youths into creative industries

Hotel Estoril as it now stands

Regarding the government’s plan to revamp the rundown Hotel Estoril into a youth center for arts education and live performances, youth and creative industries groups expect that the new center will add to Macau’s currently limited array of venues dedicated to furthering the creative industries and to encouraging youth participation.
The vice director of the Macao New Chinese Youth Association, Ms Leong Sin Man, expressed the group’s approval of the plan yesterday, and suggested that the new center should cater more to citizens rather than only being available to art school students.
“Apart from being used by the conservatory, we hope it can also provide theater facilities and space for exhibitions, as well as art courses in which the public can participate. We hope to see a timetable for the public consultation soon, and to see what the plan will be for not only the arts center but for the entire area,” said Ms Leong, as cited by TDM.
The director of the Creative Industries Promotion Association of St. Lazarus Church District, Mr Vong Sek Kuan, further indicated that the future arts center should be supervised by the government, but be operated by the private sector.  It is believed that this model can simplify administrative procedures, deepen the area’s influence, and help encourage more young people to involve themselves in the cultural and creative industries.
Vong said the current difficulties in developing Macau’s creative industry mainly lie in the lack of venues and a human resource shortage in arts management. He thereby suggested that the government should plan for a large-scale cultural and creative activity center on the future reclaimed land and make plans for talent development.