HKAF, launched in 1973, is a major international arts festival committed to enriching the cultural life of the city by presenting annually in February and March leading local and international artists in all genres of the performing arts as well as a diverse range of "PLUS" and educational events. HKAF is a non-profit organization. Secured government baseline funding for the Festival in 2017 represents roughly 14% of the HK$120 million budget, with another 9% specially provided by the Government for programmes celebrating the 20th Anniversary of HKSAR. Around 28% of the Festival’s income comes from the box office, and another 32% comes from sponsorships and donations from corporations, individuals, and charitable foundations. It is anticipated that the remaining 17% will come from the Government’s new matching scheme, which matches income generated through private sector sponsorships and donations. HKAF presents top international artists and ensembles, such as Anna Netrebko, Cecilia Bartoli, Yo-Yo Ma, Philip Glass, Tan Dun, Riccardo Chailly, Christian Thielemann, Gustavo Dudamel, Gianandrea Noseda, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Sylvie Guillem, Kevin Spacey, Robert Wilson, Peter Brook, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Mariinsky Theatre, Bavarian State Opera, the Bolshoi Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Zingaro, Royal Shakespeare Company, Berliner Ensemble and National Theatre of China. HKAF actively promotes Hong Kong's own creative talents and emerging artists, and has commissioned and produced over 100 new local productions in the past decade, including theatre, chamber opera, music and contemporary dance, many with successful subsequent runs in Hong Kong and overseas. HKAF invests in arts education for young people. In the past 25 years, our "Young Friends" has reached over 710,000 secondary and tertiary school students in Hong Kong. A variety of arts education projects targeted at primary, secondary, and tertiary school students has been launched in recent years. Donations to the "Student Ticket Scheme" also make available about 8,500 half-price student tickets each year. HKAF organises a diverse range of "Festival PLUS" activities in community locations each year to enhance the engagement between artists and audiences. These include lecture demonstrations, masterclasses, workshops, symposia, backstage visits, exhibitions, meet-the-artist sessions, and guided tours.