After 38 years of working between the government and performing arts companies, senior adviser Yuen Lup-fun has completed his stay in the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA). In this interview Mr Yuen reflected his thoughts on his career before starting another one.

Q: When did you join WKCDA?

A: On April 21st, 2009, I joined the Performing Arts Department and I was the second employee here. It was also my second involvement with West Kowloon. About 10 years ago I was seconded to the Planning and Lands Bureau for organising the design competition for West Kowloon conceptual plan. I guess that is life.

Q: When you looked back at your days you had at City Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong Coliseum, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and Hong Kong Dance Company , what did you recall?

A: I thought I was lucky to have been seconded three times. Other than West Kowloon, I was in charge of the “Festival Hong Kong 92” in six cities in Canada. But my most memorable experience was the 1997 Handover Ceremony when I coordinated outdoor cultural activities at the Tamar site and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. I was worried about the weather that night and prepared a contingency plan but the Hong Kong Observatory expected the rain would ease. It didn’t. But the ceremony went down well in history.

Q: What about working in WKCDA – what is your moment?

A: It must be the three stages of Public Engagement Exercise. We had 87 consultation meetings with 90 arts and cultural groups. The way we conducted the consultation was never done before by the government. I could still recall the days when we had to prepare 15 minutes of performing programs before the forum while I was the only one in my department. Luckily it got much smoother when Louis Yu came on board.

Q: Any regret in your long career?

A: As a civil servant I was somewhat restricted in pursuing my arts career because half of me was an arts administrator but the other half was also a creative person. Yet I was privileged to witness the golden years in the development of local arts and cultural scene, and being part of a passionate team that promoted arts and culture in the 70s-80s when the economy was booming. With the West Kowloon project I wish it would bring more opportunities to the local art scene, and probably another golden year ahead.

Q: Are you going to retire?

A: The many years I have been working in arts and culture one thing I never did was to start my own business. I hope I can promote the education and cultural industries in Greater China, particularly via the online and multi-media platform. Besides I would take some time to tidy up my script writing portfolio which I wrote more than 20. I would also contribute articles about my views on local cultural development. I am looking forward to my working life ahead and I’d like to share a poem that reads “There will be an amazing when you open the next door”.