Continued strong support from our Patron of the Arts

The arts in Singapore: finding common cause in diversity

1. Good evening.

2. So happy to join you today for the 39th Patron of the Arts Awards Ceremony. It is such a privilege to be able to share this occasion with you in person today.

3. At last year’s event, I spoke about:

   1. How the partnership between the arts fraternity, patrons and government, including an annual spend on arts and culture amounting to about $450 million annually since 2013, has been bearing fruit;

   2. How arts has been so crucial, essential, and really a cornerstone in anchoring our distinctive Singaporean identity, giving us a sense of who we are - a shared heritage, a shared identity, and commonality of purpose; and

   3. How we were at an inflection point coming into the COVID-19 pandemic.

4. Since then, so much has happened over the last year. So much for us to celebrate and be grateful for.

5. I would like to share a few points on how the arts has progressed over the past year and beyond.

6. Continued strong support from our Patron of the Arts

7. First, let me speak on arts philanthropy and the unstinting support from our patrons.

   1. Our long-time patrons like the Keppel Care Foundation, Ngee Ann Kongsi, United Overseas Bank, UOL Group and Dr Stephen Riady, have remained unwavering and a strong steadfast pillar through thick and thin, and we had a lot of thin, in the last couple of years.

   2. We are also seeing very strong support from new patrons. I would like to thank Sun Venture Pte Ltd, Mr Lim Lung Tieng and Mr Christopher Chuah for your generous contributions to the arts in the last year.

8. I am pleased to share that despite the challenging period, cash donations rose by 18% from $22 million to $26 million between 2020 and 2021.

   1. The number of patrons receiving the Awards this evening has similarly increased, by 22% from 264 to 363, with 30% of them being first-time recipients.

9. Thank you very much for your contributions. The arts sector was thus able to continue its important mission of inspiring Singaporeans, deepening our sense of belonging and national identity, and strengthening our commitment to one another.

   1. For example, Orchard Turn Developments supported Heroes of our Time, an exhibition jointly organised by the National Healthcare Group and the Singapore Art Society;

   2. This exhibition paid tribute to our healthcare and essential workers at the frontline of the pandemic.

10. With the $150 million top-up to the Cultural Matching Fund announced earlier this year at the Budget, we are very confident that this momentum can be sustained. The stronger we sustain this momentum, the more long-term arts patronages, the more our arts ecosystem will benefit from this.

11. Resilience in a time of COVID-19

12. Next, we have demonstrated resilience, adaptability, tenacity. It is a story of everyone coming together, give and take, making sure it is not a zero-sum game so that the arts will flourish.

13. The moment we opened up, we could see the result. We could see the demand in the arts, and it is no surprise that in difficult times, people turn to the arts for comfort, solace and a sense of rejuvenation.

    1. Live performances, exhibitions, classes and events have returned to Singapore; and

    2. We have been able to do all these while keeping public health risks manageable.

14. While it has not been an easy two years for the arts sector, I would say that the sector, as a whole:

    1. Has pulled together and weathered the COVID-19 pandemic well; and

    2. Events are resuming very quickly. We see Singaporeans coming back to the arts once again.

15. Our national cultural institutions such as the Esplanade, National Gallery, Singapore Art Museum, National Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum have been able to maintain an exciting line-up of programmes. To name a few:

    1. We had a successful run of the Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022 a few months ago; and

    2. We look forward to the Singapore Biennale 2022 very soon.

    3. Singapore has also remained very active internationally.  This year, we have a brilliant show "Pulp 3" at the Venice Biennale from April till November, by Shubigi Rao and curated by Ute Meta Bauer. I swelled with pride when critics, publications and the public who came by the exhibition commented favourably about what Singapore could offer. It is something that binds us , and makes us proud.

16. In addition, a scan of the main arts groups in Singapore – the recipients of NAC’s Major Company Grants – also shows that most of them have remained active, with many activities lined up for the rest of the year.

    1. In the past few months, I have attended performances and events such as SNYO Concert, SSO Hans Graf Concert and so on.

17. At the same time, it is important for us to ensure that young people feel invested in the arts, and that they have a place and future in the arts. That is how we can continue our momentum and grow the arts ecosystem.

    1. Just last week, NAC awarded arts scholarships to eight Singaporeans, for studies in diverse areas ranging from the fine arts to arts management to sign language performance, in the UK, the US, Germany and Singapore. We tell them that they are blazing the way, and hopefully more will follow in their footsteps. When they go out to make acquaintances and build networks, come back to Singapore, and use the experience to benefit our arts ecosystem in Singapore.

18. Many arts groups and freelancers have also taken the opportunity to transform and adopt digital technologies.

    1. More than 100 transformation projects by over 190 organisations were supported by the Organisation Transformation Grant; and

    2. Self-employed persons (SEPs) and organisations also came together to develop projects supported by the SEP Grant, creating over 5,000 work and training opportunities for our SEPs. SEPs are no less important in the ecosystem. Many a time, this loose creativity which is not tied to an organisation or institution, lends a richness and spontaneity to the arts ecosystem. We had to make sure they are supported during the pandemic.

19. I would like to thank and commend the arts groups, practitioners, patrons, government agencies and also the Singapore public who have supported the arts through these difficult times. On occasions when they are unable to support in person, many of them supported the arts online in their own ways.

20. Our experience over the past two years has shown us that when we have a common cause and work together in partnership, we can bring Singapore arts to greater heights.

21. Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027)

22. Looking ahead, this leads me to a discussion on the future direction of the arts.

23. Over the past year, the NAC has been hard at work, gathering views and inputs from the arts community for their upcoming Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027).

    1. NAC has engaged some 1,000 stakeholders from our arts community and across the public, private and people sectors, as part of this exercise.

    2. I joined one of the engagement sessions last month, and met many arts practitioners, like Gaurav from the Singapore Repertory Theatre and Emmeline from Objectifs, who shared their views on the future, and what will move the needle for us in the arts sector. 

24. Engagement with the community is important. Arts is not something that is done by the government, or by the arts community alone. It is a partnership, and that is why engaging the community and getting views, understanding the trials and tribulations, and getting onboard their suggestions is very important to us. And that is why NAC has positioned the arts plan as “OUR” arts plan,

    1. One that is a shared vision;

    2. One that respects the views, backgrounds, art forms, traditions and aspirations of our very diverse arts community;

    3. One that is created and owned, and invested in together with the arts community; and

    4. Ultimately one that can help move the needle in our arts ecosystem towards a common cause.

25. The arts community has identified a few common themes for the future of the arts in Singapore, namely:

    1. Contributing to a Creative Economy;

    2. Forging a Connected Society; and 

    3. Building a Distinctive City out of Singapore. One that we can say is uniquely our own. We go overseas, and we bring our products overseas, where people can say, ‘that is from Singapore’.

26. Let me share my views on these points.

27. Contributing to a Creative Economy

28. The idea of developing a creative economy is not a new one. In the 2000s, there were the Renaissance City Plans that laid the groundwork for arts, culture and the creative sector in Singapore.

29. It is timely for us to build on the foundations laid two decades ago. There have been three important shifts since then.

30. First, the arts sector in Singapore is much more established and a lot more confident today.

    1. One important factor is the sustained commitment by the government in the arts and culture. In the last 10 years alone, public spending on the arts and culture by MCCY has reached a total of $3.56 billion.

    2. We now have a very good mix of arts professionals – including established and experienced ones, as well as a new generation of creatives in various artforms, pushing boundaries, taking on new ideas overseas then blending it with what we have here and coming up with an art form that is distinctive and uniquely our own.

31. Second, societal expectations have shifted.

    1. I see arts as the backdrop of society. 

    2. Take sports as an example. We have seen many societal shifts in sports.

    3. Many parents today are increasingly supportive of their children pursuing serious careers in the arts, sports, and creative sectors. It used to be something you go into when you are unable to get a place in STEM, humanities or something else. But today, it is a destination on its own.

    4. School, corporates and the general public are also very supportive of this ecosystem.

32. And third, operating models have changed.

    1. The pervasiveness of digital technologies and social media has allowed creatives to reach new audiences, no longer bound by geographical limitations.

    2. Digital technologies have made it possible for Singaporean writers to be read or encountered internationally. For example, e-book publishing can reduce the costs of print production, and social media platforms have made it easier for Singaporean writers to showcase their work through other means such as podcasts, YouTube videos, etc.

    3. The rise of the freelance economy, coupled with the diverse creative ecosystem in Singapore today, has also supported the rise of the “multi-hyphenates”.

    4. While some may remain of the traditional view that artists and creatives require heavy support from state and society so that they can pursue their craft full time, many of our artists and creatives today are already successfully juggling multiple pursuits – commercial and non-commercial ones – all at the same time.

33. For us to succeed in building this creative economy, giving it the engine it needs, we must be confident in ourselves, and in the opportunities to bring to the arts ecosystem.

34. With the establishment of the University of the Arts (UAS)

    1. MCCY and NAC will be working closely with MOE and the economic agencies in the coming years 

    2. To ensure that the arts will provide meaningful jobs for those who choose to join the arts sector, and for whom the arts is a source of their livelihoods. It is a marker of how we allow, encourage, and want young creatives to take their art education to the next level in Singapore.

35. Forging a connected society

36. Next, the role of the arts in forging a connected society cannot be understated.

    1. This is important in an open, multi-cultural, immigrant society like Singapore; and

    2. When discussing the role of publicly-funded art.

37. Many have spoken about the potential fault-lines in our society:

    1. Across cultural, ethnic, religious or even generational lines.

    2. b. Some of these stresses are already present in Singapore society due to our demography and history, while others may be influenced by overseas developments, such as the “Culture War” in the US.

38. What then is the role of the arts, and in particular local art and local artists, for Singapore and Singaporeans?

39. Mr S Rajaratnam, Singapore’s first Culture Minister, famously said that “being Singaporean was a matter not of ancestry, but of choice and conviction.”

40. For Singaporeans, then, our arts must be something which can:

    1. Build empathy and understanding among us through our shared culture and our lived experiences;

    2. Unite our communities and anchor us to our core Singaporean identity; and

    3. Deepen our sense of belonging and fortify to want to build a home, and a better future together. 

41. Accessibility to the arts is also important.  

    1. We want every person to have access to high quality arts experiences at every life stage; and 

       1. For everyone of any social background,  to enjoy the arts.

42. Building a Distinctive City

43. Third, in building a distinctive city, we hope to create an endearing home for everyone, where public and private spaces are animated through the arts.

44. Beyond funding, the government has also been supporting the arts sector through other means like the provision of space.

    1. Spaces are pivotal for artists to experiment, innovate and create their artworks.

    2. However, there is a need to make the economics work in land-scarce Singapore, in ways that are:

       1. Fair to new artists and groups, as well as the established practitioners; and

       2. Which are financially sustainable.

45. As such, the government has been deliberate in developing spaces for artists. 

    1. An example is 42 Waterloo Street. This revitalised space, similar to the co-working spaces at Goodman Arts Centre and Stamford Arts Centre, allows artists to connect and network with like-minded peers, and encourage a lot more collaboration.

    2. 45 Armenian Street and Kampong Java are other areas which the government is also working on. These will be incubation spaces for the development of young, emerging artists.

46. As part of the Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027), NAC has been engaging in numerous consultations on how to create even more spaces for the arts in Singapore.

    1. For instance, NAC has been partnering the NParks to develop three parks as arts and culture nodes – Singapore Botanic Gardens, Jurong Lake Garden and HortPark, offering botanical sketching, musical performances, and exhibitions for Singaporeans to experience and encounter the arts in everyday life and everyday spaces.

47. Partnership to Drive Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027) Together

48. To end off, I would like to reiterate that the arts sector plays an essential role in forging Singapore’s future. It starts now. It starts with building an identity, fostering a stronger sense of shared experiences and identifying with one another as fellow Singaporeans.

49. We now need all hands on deck, as we turn the chapter and work towards a common cause under the new Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027).

    1. The arts community and general public will be invited to share your ideas and feedback on the Arts Plan, to understand the growing needs in Singapore, during the public engagements later this year.

    2. While NAC is taking the lead to develop the arts sector, it cannot succeed without the continued support from the community and patrons.

    3. The implementation and success of the plan will hinge significantly on your support and contributions.

50. As we launch Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027) and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Patron of the Arts Awards next year, I look forward to developing an even more vibrant, bubbly, forward-looking, energetic, arts ecosystem.

51. Thank you very much once again for being our patrons, and thank you for always believing in our cause.  Because fundamentally what we are building in the arts ecosystem is appreciation of the arts, and building the soul of Singapore – we are trying to instil in every Singapore appreciation for the arts, to have the heart for Singapore and for them to believe and understand who they are as Singaporeans, and finding themselves their identity.

52. The arts community has done a tremendous job, and they will continue to do so in the years to come. 

53. Thank you.