| |
| |
![]() |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
SINGAPORE: The government is setting aside S$115m over the next five years to implement phase three of the Renaissance City Plan (RCP3). This is 50% or $7m more each year compared to the current allocation.
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Dr Lee Boon Yang told Parliament that this will be done in partnership with the private and public sectors.
"Our continued efforts under RCP are a must to transform Singapore into a successful city for the arts. RCP3 will continue the work of broadening our audience base and talent pool, and internationalising our artists and art companies. In addition, RCP3 will focus additional funding on 3 key areas - content creation, sustainable arts ecosystem and community engagement."
Dr Lee stressed the need to draw on Singapore's diversity of arts talents to create new and inspiring works which reflect its multicultural society.
So this year, the National Arts Council will introduce a Commissioning Fund with $700,000 per year to build up a body of scripts, stories, poetry, and musical and dance compositions, works which reflect not only Singapore's distinctive multicultural identity but also its Asian and contemporary context.
More than $1 million will also be set aside each year to introduce new capability development and residency programmes for artists and arts companies.
This will allow them to participate in exchanges with overseas arts institutions and organisations.
Earlier in the debate on the Ministry's budget, MP Zaqy Mohamad of Hong Kang GRC highlighted the need for such support.
He asked: "Given the millions that we spend on promoting our arts overseas, can MICA tweak its internationalisation programme to invest in young artists and production talents to be mentored by world-class artists, production houses, producers, directors etc?"
With these residency programmes, Dr Lee said, artists will be able to gain exposure and establish valuable networking. - CNA/ir
|
