Support for the arts sector during the pandemic and future development of the arts in Singapore

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the median monthly income for workers in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector was between $3,800 to $4,100 from 2018-2020. Data for 2021 will be released by MOM once available. 

Our arts community has shown resilience, creativity and innovation in their response to the challenges brought about by COVID-19, presenting their works and engaging audiences in novel and interesting ways. Through the $75 million Arts and Culture Resilience Package (ACRP), the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and National Arts Council (NAC) have worked with our arts practitioners and organisations to safeguard livelihoods, retain capabilities, and develop new ones. Many Singaporeans were able to continue to enjoy and experience arts events despite the pandemic.

The outlook for the arts scene in 2022 is a cautiously optimistic one. We hope to see the arts sector lock in the gains made over the last two years. These include reaching new digital audiences, creating new arts experiences and business solutions, and building capabilities to accelerate the adoption of technology, especially with the growth of audience demand online. Based on NAC’s COVID-19 Arts Consumption Survey (2020-2021), about eight in 10 digital arts consumers responded that they would continue online consumption after the pandemic. MCCY and NAC will continue to work closely with arts practitioners and organisations to transform the way they work, and to resume a wider variety of arts activities – both digital and in-person – as we grow more resilient against COVID-19. We look forward to renewed vibrancy in our arts, with enhanced offerings for all Singaporeans as we move into 2022.

MCCY and NAC will continue to develop the arts sector in partnership with the community, as well as the public and private sectors. Key areas of focus include:

1. Growing audience development and engagement efforts through signature arts events and touchpoints in the neighbourhoods. NAC Arts and Culture Nodes, together with community partners, will bring year-round arts experiences to Singaporeans across the island.

2. Developing diverse capabilities of arts workers, including the self-employed, with an emphasis on digital competency.

3. Creating spaces for experimentation, innovation, and incubation of works that connect with audiences. For example, NAC is partnering the Singapore Land Authority to set up pilot arts sandboxes in Kampong Java.

4. Boosting long-term sustainability of the arts sector and strengthening private giving to the arts, such as through the Sustain the Arts (stART) Fund launched by NAC in January 2021, and the Cultural Matching Fund.

NAC has been consulting broadly for the next iteration of Our SG Arts Plan, and will be hosting public engagement sessions over the next few months. These engagement sessions will gather views and test ideas for the future development of the arts in Singapore.