Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man told reporters yesterday at a press conference after this year’s second plenary meeting of the Cultural Development Committee that her bureau will open a literature house in the next quarter.
According to Leong, the Macau Literature House near Jao Tsung-I Academy (饒宗頤學藝館) in Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida (荷蘭園大馬路) will open in the third quarter of this year. Leong said the aim was to create a literary centre and a creative space combining collections, exhibitions, exchanges, and research functions.
Leong said that the Macau Literature House will include an exhibition hall that will showcase the development of local literature, including an introduction to famous literary figures and their works, contemporary literary figures, as well as Macau’s literary magazines. Apart from the exhibition hall, there will also be a reading room and a multi-function room.
Moreover, the government’s revitalisation plan for commercial use of the buildings in the Mong-Ha Villas complex will be launched by the end of the year.
According to a announcement by the bureau in March, the project comprises 12 buildings, of which the government will open 10 to the public, three of which will be designated for cultural activities and parent-child educational activities, while the remaining seven will be used for retail and food and beverage outlets.
Leong underlined that she did not want to impose too many restrictions on the use of the buildings, as long as their historical value is highlighted.
Leong added that the Navy Yard in Barra – an art centre for collective exhibitions and performances – could also be turned into a similar revitalisation project, as the buildings have been well restored and have great potential to become another revitalised area. Leong said her bureau plans to start revitalising the outdoor area of the Navy Yard in the second half of the year.
Leong quoted the committee as saying that the culture sector hopes that the bureau will not restrict them in their project designs for the revamped Navy Yard, adding that the committee members also want the Navy Yard to include a busking spot for local street performers.
Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man talks to the media yesterday after this year’s second plenary meeting of the Cultural Development Committee at Macau Cultural Centre in Nape. Photo: Ginnie Liang
