Arts and heritage scholarships announced
SINGAPORE — A mix of budding and emerging arts and heritage practitioners make up this year’s recipients of scholarships awarded by the National Arts Council (NAC) and National Heritage Board (NHB). The 18 individuals received their award from Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Lawrence Wong, at a ceremony at the Singapore Art Museum yesterday.
SINGAPORE — A mix of budding and emerging arts and heritage practitioners make up this year’s recipients of scholarships awarded by the National Arts Council (NAC) and National Heritage Board (NHB). The 18 individuals received their award from Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Lawrence Wong, at a ceremony at the Singapore Art Museum yesterday.
The scholarships encompass both undergraduate and postgraduate studies, with the NAC committing around S$1.7 million for 16 recipients taking courses in design, dance, art history, music, theatre directing and creative writing, among others. Meanwhile, the NHB has set aside around S$400,000 for two recipients, including one for arts and cultural management.
In his address, Mr Wong noted how the broad mix of recipients — including familiar names in the arts scene such as actor and director Rei Poh, the NHB’s Sim Wan Hui and conductor Adrian Chiang as well as graduates from the School Of The Arts — bodes well for the arts scene.
He added: “The Government is committed to providing opportunities ... for our people to thrive in their chosen professions, including in the arts. Now, this works both ways. Not only should we provide the right conditions and support for talented individuals to excel in the arts, we also hope that those who have received the support will return and give back to the arts and cultural community here in Singapore.”
Among the recipients for the undergraduate arts scholarships is Tan Sen Cai, 22, who will pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at the Taipei National University of the Arts, which has a strict policy of accepting only two international students a year. He has represented Singapore as a youth dancer at various dance festivals in Korea and Macau and has performed in shows by THE Second Company, which is part of noted local dance group THE Dance Company.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Miriam Yeo Sze En will take up an undergraduate degree in English at the University of Cambridge under an NHB scholarship. “Reading English Literature at the University of Cambridge may not be the traditional route for a heritage scholar. However, my exposure to literature has made me see the value it can bring in enhancing the understanding and presentation of heritage,” she said.
Not all recipients will be pursuing their studies overseas. Arts scholar Yvonne Tay, 23, a guzheng player, will pursue her music degree at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. “I believe traditional arts play an important role in preserving Singapore’s culture and heritage. I hope that with my experience ... I would be able to bring diversity to the Chinese music scene in Singapore,” she said.
The NAC’s chief executive Kathy Lai said she hopes the recipients would “play a leading role” in shaping Singapore’s future. “In today’s knowledge-driven economies, the creative sector is often one of the lead thinkers of future trends,” she said. “Our scholarship programme will nurture passionate and committed individuals who have the potential to play a leading role in the advancement of Singapore’s future.”
Rosa Daniel, the NHB’s chief executive, added: “For Singapore’s arts and heritage scene to enjoy sustained growth, we must commit to nurturing the talents of our heritage professionals, both present and future.”