Impact of COVID-19 on Singapore International Festival of Arts 2020

1 Mr Terence Ho Wee San asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth with the evolving COVID-19 situation (a) whether Singapore will heighten measures to ensure safety and welfare of participants in the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2020; (b) how will the COVID-19 situation affect the attendance of SIFA 2020 events; and (c) whether there are proposed plans to give further support to the arts community for this annual festival.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Baey Yam Keng) (for the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth): Mr Speaker, the Singapore International Festival of the Arts (SIFA) is commissioned by the National Arts Council (NAC) and presented by Arts House Limited (AHL).

The top priority of NAC is to ensure the safety and well-being of all patrons, performers and crew involved in SIFA 2020. Given the evolving COVID-19 situation, NAC has decided not to stage SIFA 2020 as planned from 15 to 31 May 2020. This was not a decision taken lightly, but was made because global restrictions on travel, together with our own precautionary and safe distancing measures to reduce local transmission of COVID-19, would have a significant impact on the overall festival experience. NAC will work with AHL towards an exciting SIFA line-up in 2021.

In addition, NAC and AHL will work with local arts groups involved in SIFA 2020 – namely Nine Years Theatre, The Finger Players, The Necessary Stage and Toy Factory Productions – to explore how they can offer innovative arts and culture experiences in the coming months, based on their SIFA works. These could include webcasts, behind-the-scenes profiling, as well as digital conversations.

I encourage the arts community to likewise explore digital-based presentations of their work, so that they can continue to engage existing audiences, and develop new audiences, even in the current situation. For example, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra has made available its "Dabao" digital concert series on Facebook. NAC is also engaging potential partners to explore ways to support the online presentation of artworks and productions by the arts community. I urge those who have capability in this area to support others who may not have the same experience and proficiency.

As mentioned during the MCCY Committee of Supply debate on 6 March 2020, the Stabilisation and Support Package announced at Budget 2020 includes support for arts practitioners – both organisations and individuals – during the COVID-19 situation, in addition to broad-based measures such as the Self-Employed Persons Training Support Scheme announced by the Ministry of Manpower. MOF has given notice to table a Supplementary Supply Bill to give greater support to Singaporeans. NAC has been engaging the arts community on these measures, for instance, the Capability Development Scheme for the Arts (CDSA) which will help organisations and individuals upskill their capabilities and position themselves well for the post COVID-19 recovery.

NAC is monitoring the situation closely and welcomes suggestions from our arts community on how we can address the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 situation together.

Mr Speaker: Mr Terence Ho.

Mr Terence Ho Wee San (Nominated Member): Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. I have three supplementary questions. One, in view of the cancellation of SIFA, are there any plans to turn this into a #SGUnited Digital Arts Festival, by making the arts accessible and available? Two, whether more can be done to engage our local freelance artists and arts groups for the future SIFAs and for other art events to make the local artists and arts companies as the preferred choice for programming? Three, can SIFA also explore to work with the Giving.sg to encourage online giving to the arts, such as turning the refund of tickets into donation and that could also apply to other arts companies?

Mr Baey Yam Keng: Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Ho for the questions. On presenting a digital format of SIFA 2020, as mentioned in my reply, the Festival Director is already in talks with the local production companies on how they could re-purpose or adapt their works planned for this SIFA into a digital format, but probably in different versions because performing arts is best enjoyed live, in front of you on stage, in a live situation, with live audiences. So, we would have to respect how they would think their works can be best presented and we do encourage them to explore innovative ways, including digital means, to showcase their talents and their works to the audiences.

In terms of local talents involved in SIFA, that has been the mandate and vision of SIFA over the years. Being a pinnacle arts festival of Singapore, we would like SIFA to allow our talents to showcase the creativity, their works, their talents, but also the chance to interact with overseas performers and arts groups. So, for example, for the last two editions in 2018 and 2019, we have local artists involved in half of all the productions and programmes, and that will continue to be the case for future SIFA editions.

As to encouraging audiences who have bought tickets for SIFA to donate the ticket refunds to the arts, yes, I think that would be a good suggestion that AHL could perhaps look at in terms of a platform. But giving to Giving.sg is already a platform for all to donate to a cause or a particular beneficiary of their choice. But I would just like to also clarify that, for example, the local productions for SIFA are all local commissions. So, the refund of tickets does not have any impact on the ticketing revenue for these groups. They would already be commissioned works and therefore, AHL – the organiser of SIFA – would already be working with them on their costs.