The next phase for The Arts House

Ms Jennie Chua, Chairman, The Old Parliament House Ltd

Mr Colin Goh, CEO

Ladies and Gentlemen

1. It was on this spot exactly 10 years ago that The Arts House was declared open by Singapore's war heroine, the late Mrs Elizabeth Choy. The Arts House has come a long way since, and I am happy to celebrate this milestone here with you tonight.

A place for all to experience the arts

2. When The Arts House was launched in 2004, it set out to be a centre for the arts that all can access and enjoy. In fact, the opening festival at the time was titled “No More Walls” – a signal of openness, and an invitation for all to experience the arts.

3. The Arts House has remained true to this mission over the years. It is an open stage for performers from all walks of life: be it professional musicians, Chinese opera enthusiasts or students putting up a local play. And through its programmes, the Arts House has consistently reached out to diverse segments of the community – young and old, families and professionals.

4. Take for example how The Arts House has engaged our silver generation. It organises free film screenings, and has a series of creative writing workshops called “Silver Writing” that caters specially to senior citizens. The workshops take them through the whole process of creative writing: from developing ideas, to crafting their own stories. They then have the chance to share their final works with the public at a special showcase. I'm not surprised to hear that our senior citizens have bonded closely through the journey, which has provided a safe space to speak in their own creative voice, and to hear the stories of their peers.

5. Programmes like these remind us that all can benefit, and bond as a community through the arts. And all Singaporeans should be able to experience this.

A champion for Singapore's arts scene

6. We have long nurtured an ambitious cultural vision for Singapore as a leading arts centre in Asia. Our pioneer generation of artists believed in this vision and worked hard to achieve it. These pioneers and the artists who came after them continue to play an important role as narrators, observers and interpreters of contemporary Singapore life. They help us locate our place in a changing world and a constantly evolving society. Through the arts, we become stronger in our identity as individuals and as a people.

7. We have made good progress over the years. Our arts calendar is flourishing, with year-round offerings like Singapore Art Week, the Biennale and the Writers Festival. Our artists have built up a strong canon of work in a range of art forms. We are making a name for ourselves overseas.

8. This is all made possible through our shared commitment to the arts. It is something that we in MCCY are committed to building. It is also a sustained effort from all partners – private, public, and of course, the arts community. The Arts House is an important part of this picture. It is an innovative and energetic champion for the arts. Besides serving as an open platform for Singapore artists, the Arts House and TOPH have also sought to present Singapore works to an international audience, and facilitate collaborations between Singapore artists and their counterparts around the world, through programmes like Spotlight Singapore and other initiatives.

9. In recent years, the Arts House has also distinguished itself as a centre for the literary arts. The Arts House presents close to one hundred and fifty literary programmes annually, featuring both local and foreign writers. Most of these programmes are free for the public – including festivals, readings, workshops and talks. Besides helping our writers hone their craft in the company of peers, they also raise public awareness and appetite for literature. They are a catalyst for our local arts scene.

The next phase for the arts house

10. Looking back, there is much to celebrate from the ten-year history of The Arts House – as a champion for the local arts scene, and a place where we all can experience the arts. But we are here not only to look back on the past, but also ahead: to the next phase.

11. We now have two corporate entities under the National Arts Council (NAC) – the Old Parliament House (TOPH) looking at place management for the Arts House and other art spaces, and the Arts Festival Limited (AFL) to manage our flagship arts festival, the Singapore International Festival of the Arts (SIFA). We've had extensive discussions with the key stakeholders over the past few months, and we think that it's best to merge these entities, and combine the strengths of their respective roles in managing arts spaces, and managing the arts festival.

12. The NAC will set up a new company limited by guarantee or CLG which oversees the merged functions of the TOPH and AFL. It will be aptly named Arts House Limited, and begin operations from 1 April this year.

13. I have asked NAC to work closely with the new Board chaired by Mrs Christine Ong and the CEO, Ms Lee Chor Lin to ensure that the Arts House Limited successfully builds on the good work of the TOPH and AFL. For SIFA, this will mean raising the bar for both excellence and accessibility. We want SIFA to be a top-notch arts festival, with quality offerings; and at the same time, a festival that is embraced and loved by Singaporeans.

14. More importantly, we also want to make the Arts House a distinctive home for the arts for all Singaporeans. The Arts House is located in a building with a long and proud heritage. This is the oldest existing government building in Singapore, and also one of our national monuments. It is located just next to the newly-refurbished Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall (ready in August), the Asian Civilisations Museum which will be undergoing a revamp later this year, and the new National Art Gallery, which will be open to the public in late 2015. I encourage the new Arts House Limited to do more to tap on the rich history and heritage of its premises, and to work closely with the nearby cultural institutions to bring renewed liveliness and vibrancy to our Civic District.

Concluding Remarks

15. Allow me to close by thanking Ms Jennie Chua, Mr Colin Goh, the board members and staff of TOPH, and so many others who have worked hard behind the scenes to bring The Arts House to where it is today. Mr Edmund Cheng was the first Chairman of TOPH, and Jennie took over in 2007. Both have provided excellent counsel and guidance to TOPH management. Colin has been with TOPH from the start, and has been provided solid and steady leadership in building up the organisation. I am heartened by the dedication, passion and verve that you have displayed in your many years of service, and thank you for your many contributions to Singapore art.

16. Going forward, I encourage all of us to give our full support to Arts House Limited as we move into the next stage of the journey. Let us aim high, and make The Arts House an even bigger player in Singapore's growing arts scene. May the coming years be as fruitful as the last 10 that we have witnessed.