Art and culture becomes more accessible to everyone

Ladies and Gentlemen

Everyone here, hello everyone

1. So nice to see so many of you here, wonderful evening, perfect weather, beautiful location surrounded by iconic, historic buildings of Singapore -really witnessing the development and progress of the country. We are all here, together, one united people, enjoying the fruits of development and really having a unity that I think we feel as a people. Art has this ability to bring people together –regardless of age, regardless of gender, regardless of race, religion and so on. This is wonderful quality of art and thank you so much for participating in PAssionArts.

2. It is special year because this is the year we celebrate the 5th anniversary of PAssionArts. Bringing art and culture to the heart of every constituency in Singapore over the last five years has resulted to art and culture becoming more accessible to everyone.

3. I am glad that our efforts have borne fruit and more people are taking an interest in the arts. In the recent 2015 National Population Survey on the Arts by the National Arts Council, 8 out of 10 Singaporeans shared that they have attended at least one arts activity in the last year. This is consistent across all age groups, be it a 15-year-old student, a young working adult, or a 70-year-old senior. Across all age groups, people have enjoyed arts, they have the opportunity to participate, to attend and we really brought arts to everyone. Thanks to your efforts.

4. The survey results also show more Singaporeans embracing a wider range of cultural events – from performing arts to visual arts to heritage and craft. Many of you here were involved in a wide range of activities, spanning across different art forms in the PassionArts Festival this year. I am sure your journey of working and collaborating with the artists and art groups, has helped you gain a deeper appreciation of the various art forms.

5. By enlarging the common space for artists to work together with the community, PAssionArts also helps to make the ecosystem viable for artists to pursue their passions and draw inspirations from Singaporeans. Contemporary artist collective, 'Vertical Submarine', partnered the Aljunied Cluster CACCs (Community Arts & Culture Clubs) and 3,000 residents to co-create the large-sized art installation “Coming Hom3”. To the creators of this lovely installation who are here with us today, thank you for your hard work in putting this lovely installation together. For those who have not yet seen the “Coming Hom3” installation, you are invited to view a smaller version of it here today.

6. Together with artists and art groups, we have discovered new ways of expressing ourselves creatively. Like the box which some of you are sitting on - it is a cajón, a type of drum that you sit on and tap to create music. Give it a try later on to see what you can come up with. It's really making the arts accessible, in all forms to everyone.

7. We can see art in everyday spaces and everyday life. Like today we're here at Empress Lawn – who would imagine that we're able to come here, thousands of us in this location, this setting. Isn't this a beautiful setting? So whether it's in front of our historic monuments, at the void decks, neighborhood parks, we have been able to bring the arts everywhere, in every day spaces. It has gone beyond the walls of museums, the walls of the gallery and the concert halls.

8. Like installations and workshops at void decks, the “Forest Come Alive Recycling Art workshop” at Bukit Batok Ave 4, to the Concert Series in the Park which brought wonderful performances into the lush greenery of Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park. It is delightful to witness our island abuzz with creative activities and events. And with the prevalent use of digital and electronic media today, Singaporeans are able to enjoy the arts on-the-go, and from the comfort of their homes.

9. The success of PassionArts over the years is a great achievement, one that is only possible because of everyone's support. My special thanks to the PAssionArts and CACC teams, and all supporters of community arts. Thank you for your tireless efforts in bringing Every Art-form to Everyone, Everywhere. I think your dedication, your commitment and your passion have helped to provide a collective identity to community arts in Singapore. Everyone, from the young to the not so young is now able to enjoy arts in various forms right at their doorstep.

10. And I think this is really a wonderful thing that art is not kept in a museum or the gallery. Art can be enjoyed by everyone in a place that is close to your living environment so it is part of your life. This is what we want to see in Singapore – art for everyone, everywhere in every art form.

11. So to all of you here thank you very much for your contributions to community arts. We would like to see more of it so that more can participate, more people can enjoy the beauty of art and we hope that this will be a thriving ecosystem that will bring us to the next level of vibrancy in the arts. Art is for everyone, enjoy. Thank you so much for your contributions to PAssionArts and thank you PA.