Building Resources

For a global city of arts to exist, it needs a strong audience. NAC engages audiences through outreach and education. In addition to the major festivals, there are quality arts performances to the community through specific outreach platforms such as the NAC-ExxonMobil Concert in the Park. Last year, the concert series featured Superband Mi Lu Bing, Arts Fission and Heartbeat Percussion. The fringe element was expanded to include activities like colouring contests, storytelling and drumming workshops. All these activities attract more people to the concerts, thus increasing their exposure to the arts. In 2007,180 free events were organised and supported, reaching some 200,000 audiences.

NAC collaborated with the People’s Association (PA) and five Community Development Councils under the PA-NAC Memorandum of Understanding to develop District Arts Festivals to showcase artistic talents. Held throughout the year, these five festivals involved residents, schools, community groups, professional artists and arts groups. It drew an audience of more than 138,000. Two training workshops on arts marketing, publicity and stage presence were organised to help community centre-based arts groups build up their capabilities.

The outreach efforts also involved other government agencies and private corporations. In 2007, NAC worked with NParks, the Central Narcotic Bureau and Singapore General Hospital. The Council supported Nanyang Technological University’s annual Nanyang Arts Festival and Raffles City’s Arts in the City programme, targeted at the busy lunchtime crowds. These activities attracted more than 100,000 people. The engagement of the Singapore population in arts creation was taken further with the introduction of the Community Participation Grant scheme in April 2008. Outreach helps to expose more people to the arts. In 2007, some 2,500 NAC-endorsed quality arts education programmes were taken up by primary and secondary schools, junior colleges, centralized institutes and polytechnics. More than 330,000 students experienced the arts through performances by professional artists, hands-on workshops by arts educators and excursions to performances and exhibitions at various arts venues. The arts education programme in school was subsidized by the Tote Board Arts Fund, which contributed some $6 million in FY 2007, an increase of 50 per cent over the previous financial year. The programme was also expanded to include 22 special education schools. NAC also partnered The Esplanade and arts groups to develop a series of excursion programmes which aims to draw students into purpose-built arts venues. Students were able to watch performances and go on backstage tours. The Artist-in-School scheme allowed more than 4,000 students from 10 schools to interact with professional artists and experience the creative process. Shuqun Primary School enjoyed an extensive dance education programme, Bedok North Secondary School had a theatre programme integrated with its literature programme, and Park View Primary School had a visual arts education programme with a strong focus on Singapore art. To acknowledge schools efforts to set up a sustainable arts education structure, the National Arts Education Award was set up in 2003. The award for primary schools alternates with that given to secondary schools, junior colleges and centralised institute. The 2007 Award attracted 33 applications from primary schools, of which 16 were new participants. Haig Girls’ School was the first primary school to receive the Gold Award which was presented by RAdm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Minister of State for Education.

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