Enriching cultural exchanges between artists and the community

Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman of the National Arts Council,
Ms Yvonne Tham, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Arts Council,
Mr Colin Goh, Chief Executive Officer of The Old Parliament House,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

1. I am very happy to join you today at the official opening of the Aliwal Arts Centre. Among us this morning, I see many new residents of the Centre –we have artists who work primarily in the traditional arts, and also those who work in a more contemporary idiom. I'm glad to see this diversity of art forms, and hope that you will inspire one another with more creative collaborations through working together side-by-side in this new centre.
   

Enriching our Cultural Exchanges

2. Singapore's culture is shaped by the diversity and creative expressions of our people; it is shaped by the sharing of ideas and aspirations. Through your works, you enrich the conversations on our culture and identity. You enable us to develop a better understanding of our shared culture, and to reflect on what makes us truly Singaporean.

3. We sometimes have the image of the artist as a 'heroic' solitary figure. But in fact, collaboration is an integral part of artistic production. Art – whether in theatre, film, dance or music – is inherently collaborative in nature. Even in the forms of art like literature, painting and sculpture – where we are used to thinking about the individual artist – there is collaboration and influence. For example, the well-known Nanyang style of art grew when our pioneer visual artists – including Liu Kang, Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng and Georgette Chen – gathered around NAFA to find mutual inspiration from each other. These artists then went on to teach and influence a next generation of artists such as Lim Tze Peng and Lim Yew Kuan, who have continued to influence artists even today.

4. Today, there is even more scope for mutual inspiration and partnerships between our artists, even between those practising different kinds of art. Indeed much of the innovation in contemporary art has been to blur the distinctions between media, be it visual art, film, photography, literature or theatre.

5. We want to encourage this creative ferment and artistic collaboration across different art forms. I believe the Aliwal Arts Centre can play an important role in fostering such meaningful exchanges. As a multi-disciplinary arts centre, you have in one centre a gathering of artists from across a range of disciplines. I hope this will promote more interactive creativity and collaborative dialogue. In fact, I heard from NAC that some Aliwal tenants such as Re:Dance [pronounced “ree-dance”] Theatre have already taken the initiative to knock on doors and acquaint themselves with their neighbours – this is an encouraging sign, and I hope it will lead to more collaborations between our artists.

6. Just as important as the interactions between artists is the interaction between our arts community and other communities in Singapore. For the arts to contribute to our national exchange of ideas, artists have to engage more Singaporeans and make the arts a bigger part of all our lives. And this Centre, situated in the rich cultural district of Kampong Glam, provides exciting opportunities for our artists reach out to more people.

7. I am delighted to hear that some art groups have already started discussions with the surrounding businesses and organisations. For example, I hear that RSCLS [pronounced “rascals”] is working with the area's business association to promote urban art in the Kampong Glam neighbourhood. Teater Ekamatra is working closely with their friends across the road at the Malay Heritage Centre for programming possibilities. And the Aliwal Arts Centre itself will be running their first-ever Arts Night Crawl next Friday, as part of the Centre's opening festivities.

8. All this will introduce more arts experiences to the public and spread the love of art to more Singaporeans. I thank the place management team and the arts groups at Aliwal Arts Centre for their hard work. Ultimately, we all want to see this centre add to Kampong Glam's cultural vibrancy and bring together the arts community, arts enthusiasts and all Singaporeans.
   

Private Partnerships for the Arts

9. Through my Ministry and our partner agencies, the Government will continue to invest in the development of our arts landscape, including developing spaces for our artists to work in.

10. But the development of the arts cannot be done by the Government alone. It is critical for every Singaporean to pitch in and lend their support. For example, in the creating of arts spaces, our government-subsidised facilities like Goodman Arts Centre and the Aliwal Arts Centre are complemented by private commercial developers who recognise the value of the arts and have offered space to house arts groups. Today, Singapore Dance Theatre has a home at Bugis+ [pronounced “Bugis Plus”] and Very Special Arts is a part of the Changi City Point Mall.

11. It is not only large developers who have something to give to the arts. We also want more people to be involved in our arts scene, whether as audiences, as volunteers helping out in events, or as donors providing financial support. Only with everyone chipping in will we be able to bring the arts to more people. Over time, we can raise the awareness and appreciation of the arts and culture in Singapore, and have it recognised as an integral part of our lives.
    

Conclusion

12. In conclusion, I would like to thank all who have made the Aliwal Arts Centre possible, especially our artists who have chosen this as your home. I hope you will find in this centre and this neighbourhood, not only inspiration for your work, but also friendship and camaraderie. With that, I declare the Aliwal Arts Centre officially opened.