- Joined
- Jan 23, 2010
- Messages
- 1,746
- Points
- 0
$40m a year to promote arts at the grassroots
By Adeline Chia, Arts Correspondent
ARTS hobbyists and grassroots groups are set to receive a $40 million boost from the Government.
That is the sum to be set aside each year to support grassroots arts and culture activities, through measures such as a new fund for community arts groups and more rehearsal spaces for amateur groups.
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew yesterday said the move aims to 'dispel perceptions that arts and culture is elitist, expensive and restricted to 'high art''.
He pointed to amateur photographers and amateur drumming groups as examples of arts and culture at the community level.
The focus is also in line with recommendations by the Arts and Culture Strategic Review Committee (ACSR), which has been tasked with shaping Singapore's arts and culture policy for the next 15 years. One of its goals is to double the share of the population who attend at least one arts and culture event a year from the current 40 per cent to 80 per cent by 2025.
The committee, led by Mr Lee Tzu Yang, chairman of the School of the Arts (Sota), has based its interim recommendations on three principles.
The first is to widen exposure to the arts across all levels of artistic practice, especially among hobbyists.
The second is to have more arts centres in the heartlands.
The third is to recognise different 'peaks of excellence' in artistic achievement, from the community to international levels.
Of the increased funding of $365 million a year that Mica will receive for the next five years, an average of $80 million a year will be channelled to reach the ACSR's goals. Half of that will go towards arts at the grassroots. The other half will go towards improving the quality of local arts content and the skills of arts professionals.
These were issues that Arts Nominated MP Audrey Wong raised during the debate on Mica's budget. She said that many workers in the creative industry lack resources to plan their own professional development - a perennial issue in the arts community.
'Many of them do not receive CPF contributions or earn a regular income, which affects how far they can go in their creative careers,' she said.
She asked that more be done to help arts talent flourish. She also expressed hope for more resources to fund the creation of new works and through long-term residencies for artists, with access to studio and rehearsal space.
In response, Mr Lui said he agreed with her on the importance of enabling artists to generate quality local content. He listed new programmes to do so, including a writer's residency programme.
The National Arts Council has increased funding for its capability development schemes by over 57 per cent in the last five years, to upgrade the skills of arts professionals.
The council is also working with partners to roll out a Specialist Diploma in Arts Education.
Nine MPs spoke on the arts during the debate on Mica's budget. They raised issues ranging from opportunities for Sota graduates, to support for local writers. Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tanjong Pagar GRC) called for free admission to all museums.
Turning to the traditional arts, which include art forms such as classical Indian dance and Chinese opera, Mr Lui said his ministry will launch three schemes with the $23 million set aside from 2010 to 2014. The goal is to promote a sense of shared heritage and to foster a sense of belonging among Singaporeans.
The first is a presentation and promotion grant, which gives money to groups that want to stage a production or an exhibition; the second is a seed grant scheme, which supports emerging traditional arts companies; the last is to develop more partnerships between community organisations and arts groups.
More details on these schemes will be provided next week.
Observing that 'government funding alone will never be sufficient' for arts and culture, Mr Lui said he supported MPs' call for greater support from the private and people sectors.
Donations and sponsorships rose to $41.8 million last year, a 33 per cent increase from 2009. The minister yesterday thanked donors for their generosity.
[email protected]
FY2011 BUDGET
$978 million (down 20.2%)
By Adeline Chia, Arts Correspondent
ARTS hobbyists and grassroots groups are set to receive a $40 million boost from the Government.
That is the sum to be set aside each year to support grassroots arts and culture activities, through measures such as a new fund for community arts groups and more rehearsal spaces for amateur groups.
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew yesterday said the move aims to 'dispel perceptions that arts and culture is elitist, expensive and restricted to 'high art''.
He pointed to amateur photographers and amateur drumming groups as examples of arts and culture at the community level.
The focus is also in line with recommendations by the Arts and Culture Strategic Review Committee (ACSR), which has been tasked with shaping Singapore's arts and culture policy for the next 15 years. One of its goals is to double the share of the population who attend at least one arts and culture event a year from the current 40 per cent to 80 per cent by 2025.
The committee, led by Mr Lee Tzu Yang, chairman of the School of the Arts (Sota), has based its interim recommendations on three principles.
The first is to widen exposure to the arts across all levels of artistic practice, especially among hobbyists.
The second is to have more arts centres in the heartlands.
The third is to recognise different 'peaks of excellence' in artistic achievement, from the community to international levels.
Of the increased funding of $365 million a year that Mica will receive for the next five years, an average of $80 million a year will be channelled to reach the ACSR's goals. Half of that will go towards arts at the grassroots. The other half will go towards improving the quality of local arts content and the skills of arts professionals.
These were issues that Arts Nominated MP Audrey Wong raised during the debate on Mica's budget. She said that many workers in the creative industry lack resources to plan their own professional development - a perennial issue in the arts community.
'Many of them do not receive CPF contributions or earn a regular income, which affects how far they can go in their creative careers,' she said.
She asked that more be done to help arts talent flourish. She also expressed hope for more resources to fund the creation of new works and through long-term residencies for artists, with access to studio and rehearsal space.
In response, Mr Lui said he agreed with her on the importance of enabling artists to generate quality local content. He listed new programmes to do so, including a writer's residency programme.
The National Arts Council has increased funding for its capability development schemes by over 57 per cent in the last five years, to upgrade the skills of arts professionals.
The council is also working with partners to roll out a Specialist Diploma in Arts Education.
Nine MPs spoke on the arts during the debate on Mica's budget. They raised issues ranging from opportunities for Sota graduates, to support for local writers. Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tanjong Pagar GRC) called for free admission to all museums.
Turning to the traditional arts, which include art forms such as classical Indian dance and Chinese opera, Mr Lui said his ministry will launch three schemes with the $23 million set aside from 2010 to 2014. The goal is to promote a sense of shared heritage and to foster a sense of belonging among Singaporeans.
The first is a presentation and promotion grant, which gives money to groups that want to stage a production or an exhibition; the second is a seed grant scheme, which supports emerging traditional arts companies; the last is to develop more partnerships between community organisations and arts groups.
More details on these schemes will be provided next week.
Observing that 'government funding alone will never be sufficient' for arts and culture, Mr Lui said he supported MPs' call for greater support from the private and people sectors.
Donations and sponsorships rose to $41.8 million last year, a 33 per cent increase from 2009. The minister yesterday thanked donors for their generosity.
[email protected]
FY2011 BUDGET
$978 million (down 20.2%)
