Super Saver Saturday
5-7-14
By: Meaghan McGurgan
I was speaking the other day to one of HKELD's fans about living as a starving artist in HK. He's recently had a second baby and so is now dealing with feeding another mouth; he wanted advice on how to save money in Hong Kong as an artist. It got me thinking...money troubles are an issue for almost every artist I know. So, let's make articles about saving money in Hong Kong a regular thing. We're gonna call this series...Super Saver Saturday! Every Saturday over the summer, I or someone from the HKELD staff will write an article about saving money in Hong Kong. The more that we all save, the more money we can spend on our art.
Sounds good right?
The first article will be about saving money when you attend the theatre.
Presales
A lot of local companies and festivals have a presale period where they offer the tickets at a discount price. Getting yourself on a bunch of mailing lists can let you know about these and save you cash. Sure, it might only be twenty bucks here or 20% off, but if you see a lot of shows, then it adds up. When seeing shows at the Hong Kong Arts Fest, I highly recommend pre-booking as the savings and bonuses are usually very generous.
Volunteer
Sometimes volunteering for a company to fold programs or work as a House Manager can allow you to see a much-hyped show for free. Sure you have to work for it - but it saves you money and you'll make some new friends along the way. Decent House Managers are a must have and are very few and far between in this town.
Buy Local
Local shows are almost always cheaper than grand international tour shows and normally they are just as good. Plus, you're supporting a member of the local Hong Kong art community which is very important. Think about all those carbon emissions you're avoiding by not supporting the show that flew their set in from Germany.
Research, Research, Research
A lot of times there will be free showcases in town. You just have to look up and see when the shows are happening. Mailing lists are usually pretty handy for staying on top of this info. You can see some dance, music or theatre and not pay a penny to see it. Just do your research.
Season Passes and Memberships
A lot of the big theatre companies in town offer season tickets or discounts to persons who are members of their subscription lists. If you're a big theatre goer I recommend getting a membership discount for the Fringe or the Rep (whichever you attend more). If you join the membership club for the HK Rep you'll also save money with Chung Ying, Zuni and HK Ballet. You'll save a lot of money in ten and twenty dollar chunks. There is also an organization called the Hong Kong Arts Administrators' Association. Their membership is 150hkd per year and includes a bunch of discounts with local companies.
How do you save?
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