Underground live music house Hidden Agenda, faced with closure in October, has reached its fundraising target of HK$500,000 to support its move to a new venue.
The production team announced on Monday night that it had raised a total of HK$517,368 as of 10pm, with three days left to spare. They had needed the funds to pay for renovation works at the new venue, as well as a food factory licence, by September 15.
Donations have poured into Hidden Agenda since the announcement of its fundraising initiative on September 5. Hong Kong Independent music platform Zenegeist organised a jumble sale of CDs, artwork, clothing and musical instruments at the venue over the weekend, raising over HK$100,000.
In a Facebook post, the production team thanked all of its donors, and announced that they would stage a re-opening show at the new venue near the end of 2016.
Based in an industrial building in Kwun Tong, Hidden Agenda has been targeted repeatedly by police raids and inspections from the Lands Department since its establishment in 2009. It received its third warning from the department in May this year, as the building in which it is based cannot be used for anything other than industrial, storage and select offensive trades purposes.
The production team agreed to return the current property to its landlord in August. A farewell band show will be held at the current venue on October 10.
By obtaining a food factory licence from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Hidden Agenda hopes to operate legally at its new venue in the future. It will officially run as a takeaway food stall, but will also feature live music.
