The Arts as an Integral Part of Our People and a Strategic National Resource

ADJOURNMENT MOTION

The Government Whip (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament do now adjourn."

Question proposed.

The Arts as an Integral Part of Our People and a Strategic National Resource

7.22 pm

Mr Terence Ho Wee San (Nominated Member): Deputy Speaker, I would like to declare my interest as the Executive Director of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. As an active sportsman, I strongly believe in the importance of a healthy and happy lifestyle. However, I believe that this is not just about the body, but also the heart and soul. That is why the arts are so important, especially the traditional arts, which connect us to who we are today.

More can be done to make the traditional arts an integral part of our society, bringing together people of different races, religions, and backgrounds, and creating a shared understanding across our various communities.

We need to develop policies to strengthen the arts eco-system so that it will be more vibrant and sustainable. To deepen understanding and appreciation of the traditional arts, we need to take these art forms seriously: we could, for example, have think-tanks to engage in research that will provide strong and sound evidence for importance of the traditional arts.

In addition to traditional arts, the arts-for-all can play in serving underserved and disadvantaged communities, and how more can be done to help the next generation of Singaporeans to love arts and fulfilled lives. I hope that the Ministry will consider issuing a “Culture Pass” via a mobile application which offers a credit similar to ActiveSG for students and senior citizens to spend on cultural events and encourage cultural discovery

Looking to the future, we really hope to see the arts become a part of everyone’s everyday life, actively transforming the well-being of individuals, but also bringing people together as a nation and uplifting our spirits. For this to happen, we need alignment of all Government Ministries in supporting the arts in their policies. The arts and culture should become a strategic tool for Government agencies, from MFA to MOE. We also need to have more physical infrastructure for arts and culture. The “hardware” is important if we are to grow our “heartware”: people need spaces to meet, exchange ideas, build a sense of community and home. These spaces are also where artists and the general public can interact with one another more freely. In Mandarin, please.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Deputy Speaker, for the past many years, we have been continuously strengthening and promoting arts and culture. This is reflected in our policies. However, in order to create more exciting, colourful and diversified art platforms, more efforts are needed in the area of traditional arts. More can be done to make the traditional arts an integral part of our society, bringing together people of different races, religions and backgrounds, and creating a shared understanding across our various communities. Traditional arts can best embody our roots and beliefs.

In this regard, I have three visions and two wishes:

The first vison is to make Singapore into a modern metropolis with unique and diversified cultural scenes, nourishing and inspiring its citizens with arts; the second vision is to make arts into a bonding agent between different communities; the third vision is for Singapore’s soft power to wield international influence.

Two wishes. My first wish is to recognise our veteran artists, and cultivate mentors and role models to guide younger artists. My second wish is to develop policies to strengthen the arts ecosystem so that it will be more vibrant and sustainable.

The number of our local performing art groups is increasing each year, from 2,689 in 2013 to 3,162 in 2016. However, the audience who are willing to buy tickets to watch a show have been dwindling for the past five years, tickets sold in 2016 was 1.81 million as compared to 2.06 million in 2012. This is a worrying trend, faced by the artists, NAC and the Government.

In terms of the Government, various government ministries should reach consensus and introduce policies to support the arts. The arts and culture should become a strategic tool for government agencies, from MFA to MOE. We also need to have more physical infrastructure for arts and culture. The “hardware” is important if we are to grow our “heartware”. People need spaces to meet, exchange ideas, build a sense of community and home. These spaces are also where artists and the general public can interact with one another more freely.

Our biggest challenge is how to change people’s pragmatic mindset and increase their interest in arts and culture, making it an integral part of their life. I think we need more examples of deeper, interesting and inspiring stories to increase the influence of arts and culture. We need to constantly strengthen and broaden the ecosystem for the arts and culture, so that more Singaporeans can participate in arts and cultural activities, as audience, a learner or a volunteer.

The National Arts Council (NAC) has recently announced the five-year “Our SG Arts Plan”, in which many practical suggestions were raised. One of them is to increase the support for freelance arts professionals. This year, NAC set up a Resource Centre for the freelance arts professionals, providing services such as legal support, financial planning and contract samples. It also provides learning and career development opportunities. This is a very targeted assistance which I fully support. As our new arts roadmap goes into the next five years, I hope the Government, businesses and the people’s sector can strengthen their collaboration, in order to connect and absorb our diversified cultures, create a more open and richer cultural environment, and make more funds and resources available for artists.

Meanwhile, I would like to suggest that a think-tank be set up to engage in research in traditional arts and help improve our understanding and appreciation for traditional arts. When encouraging people to participate in traditional arts, we should also include the vulnerable groups. In the sports field, we have already recognised the disabled talents and given them opportunities to use their potentials. In the field of arts and culture, we can create more platforms for the vulnerable groups to participate and learn. Arts must go into the masses in order to sustain vitality.

Here I have two suggestions to make:

First, we can introduce a Culture Pass app, similar to the Active SG app. The Government can support by giving perks or subsidies, to students especially, so as to encourage Singaporeans to use the subsidies to get tickets to art performances.

Second, make attending arts performances as part of civic education for Primary 3 or 4 students. Every primary student should have at least one chance to watch a concert, dance or theatre performance. This will generate interest and instill in their heart a passion for arts and music. I hope that MOE can consider making good use of the time released from doing away exams and shake up our arts education. Arts education should be incorporated into our civic education. I hope arts and culture can be used as a vehicle to inspire creativity and innovation among our young, and to reflect our national spirit.

Cultural diversity is our unique character and can resonate with Singaporeans. Arts play an active role in deepening the national identity, trust among people and mutual respect between communities.

When creating an image of a cultural metropolis, we can learn from other major cities by managing our culture and arts causes with the spirit of professionalism, through forming alliances and cultivating brand names. This is the way how arts develop. To promote arts, I think works of art must combine ideological elements, artistic qualities and watchability together.

To become a cultural capital, Singapore can adopt a strategy by incorporating arts education into its school curriculum and creating a strong arts and cultural atmosphere in the society. I am confident that if we can incorporate our diversified culture and arts into daily lives, Singapore will become a more vibrant, attractive and cohesive place! It will be a home with tenderness, warmth and elegance!

Deputy Speaker: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng.

7.32 pm

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Baey Yam Keng): Mr Deputy Speaker, I congratulate Mr Terence Ho on his maiden speech, and thank him for his long-standing contributions and ardent support for the arts and culture in Singapore.

MCCY agrees that a vibrant and sustainable arts and culture scene brings diverse communities together, adds to our overall well-being, and roots us as a people and a nation. Our cultural offerings can also inspire us and show the world who we are and what we stand for, and deepen our sense of national identity. Our arts and culture play a critical role in MCCY’s efforts to foster a more caring, cohesive and confident Singapore and Singaporeans.

MCCY, the National Arts Council (NAC) and the National Heritage Board (NHB) partner the public, private and people sectors to make arts and culture an integral part of the lives of all Singaporeans. We support and facilitate our arts community’s instrumental role in developing a flourishing arts eco-system. More people now enjoy, appreciate and benefit from varied and diverse arts and culture programmes, since we expanded access and grew these offerings. The 2017 Population Survey on the Arts indicated that attendance is on an upward trend, with 54% of Singaporeans attending arts events. This is the highest on record since 2005, not including the peak in 2015 when there was a surge in events to celebrate SG50. Moreover, three in four respondents said that the arts and culture improved the quality of life for everyone, and agreed that our arts and culture is something that Singaporeans can be proud of.

Mr Ho noted that ticketed attendances had fallen from 2012 to 2016. According to the Singapore Cultural Statistics, there were 1.8 million ticketed attendances in 2016. However, that year, there were more non-ticketed performing arts activities than ever before, with attendances also the highest on record since 2012. MCCY and NAC are working on increasing both ticketed and non-ticketed attendance, as both types of events contribute to the vibrancy and sustainability of our arts and culture landscape. We hope that non-ticketed arts activities will create accessible entry points to the arts, while artists and arts groups will build on the increased awareness, and create works that could interest and attract more people to become paying audience.

I agree with Mr Ho that recognition of our arts practitioners helps develop role models. Singapore has been privileged to have outstanding artists, able to capture and transmit the essence of what it means to be Singaporean through their work. This is why, since 1979, 125 have been awarded with the Cultural Medallion which is Singapore’s highest artistic accolade. Notable artistic achievement and significant contributions to the community are also recognised through National Day Awards. MCCY and NAC hope that award recipients will continue to give back to the community through education and mentorship, create works that resonate with both local and international audiences and inspire us through the pursuit of excellence.

NAC launched Our SG Arts Plan in October 2018 to build on these existing efforts and chart strategies and policies over the next five years. The Plan was developed in close consultation with the arts community, and seeks to make Singapore “home to diverse and distinctive arts that inspire our people, connect our communities and position Singapore globally”. NAC has identified eight priorities where it will work with our arts practitioners to achieve our shared objectives. I will elaborate more on the areas of growing audiences, building capabilities, strengthening research, and taking our arts beyond our shores, which are relevant to the points that Mr Ho has raised.

Strategies for sustained audience development must cater to different groups of Singaporeans. I therefore agree with Mr Ho on the importance of providing Singaporeans of all ages and backgrounds with greater access to our arts and culture.

Singaporeans already enjoy a year-round calendar of diverse cultural offerings, including exhibitions, performances and activities, as well as free access to our national museums and heritage institutions. These include popular events like our annual Singapore Art Week, Singapore Heritage Festival, PAssionArts Festival, and Singapore Night Festival. MCCY and NAC also partner organisations such as the National Library Board and People’s Association to bring quality programmes directly to neighbourhood libraries, community clubs and other community spaces.

In addition, NAC brings together thought leaders, stakeholders and practitioners at platforms such as the Arts in Eldercare Seminar and Arts & Disability Forum, to discuss how different communities can be better engaged through the arts and culture. NAC will continue to strengthen partnerships with the social service and healthcare sectors to implement innovative programmes that can best benefit under-reached communities.

Beyond programmes, the Government has invested significantly in new cultural infrastructure: 2015 alone saw the opening of the National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre. We are currently revamping the Singapore Art Museum and developing a new waterfront theatre at the Esplanade. Our aspiration is for these spaces to foster audience growth, provide opportunities for interaction and inspire our people through the presentation of home-grown, Southeast Asian and international works. As we continue our investment into infrastructural developments and platforms to showcase artistic works, we look to the arts community to create quality content which can engage new and existing audiences.

In this context, I thank Mr Ho for his suggestion of a “Culture Pass” mobile application. MCCY and NAC will consider this as part of ongoing efforts to grow audiences, and enhance the accessibility of our arts and culture, by leveraging technology.

Mr Ho rightly highlighted the importance of arts education. Under Our SG Arts Plan, we continue to prioritise arts education efforts to nurture audiences of the future. Early exposure to the arts fosters creative thinking and imagination, helps our children develop empathy and confidence, and makes art appreciation and participation a way of life. Arts education also helps our youth better appreciate Singapore’s cultural heritage and develop a stronger sense of national identity.

MCCY and NAC work closely with partners like MOE and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) for our youth to engage more with the arts. These include the Artist-in-School Scheme, Arts Education Programme, museum-based and performing arts-based learning experiences, SOTA as well as undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the arts and culture. MCCY and NAC will continue to work with MOE to incorporate the arts into other learning areas, and with the arts community to create content that will inspire and develop our young minds. Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Ho highlighted the importance of deepening understanding, appreciation, and the promotion of the traditional arts. I agree that the traditional arts help tell our Singapore story, bring people from different backgrounds together, and enhance mutual understanding among different communities.

NAC will build capabilities and enhance research on the traditional arts under Our SG Arts Plan. For example, the newly revamped Stamford Arts Centre (SAC) will house a mix of traditional arts groups from our multi-ethnic communities who can bring our rich cultural traditions closer to the community. The SAC complements NAC’s existing work with traditional arts groups to add to the vibrancy of districts such as our historic Kampong Glam, and introduce more audiences to the traditional arts. With such support, we hope that traditional arts groups will develop the skills and capabilities to present even more engaging offerings for all audiences.

In addition, NAC will partner institutions such as the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre to research the development of traditional practices and forms in Singapore. This will help spur innovation and creativity, and encourage greater appreciation and critical discourse. NAC will work with NHB to explore other areas of research in the traditional arts. In addition, NAC will engage MOE and ECDA to develop interest in the traditional arts from a young age.

(In English): Mr Ho noted that our arts and culture is one way we can showcase Singapore internationally. Under Our SG Arts Plan, NAC will continue to work with MFA to: (a) establish Singapore as a valuable collaborative partner for arts and culture in the region; (b) develop international residencies and capability building programmes; and (c) extend an effective Singapore presence overseas. We will support our artists to grow and scale new heights, and help profile Singapore overseas.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Mr Ho for his views and suggestions. The Government will do our best and find new and better ways to provide resources, infrastructure and platforms. I look forward to our arts community doing its part to develop diverse, rich and engaging works that can connect with and inspire audience groups across different backgrounds including the under-served, whether arts enthusiasts or novices, at home or abroad. Let us work together to achieve our shared vision for the arts and culture in Singapore.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn."

Adjourned accordingly at 7.42 pm.