National Arts Council (Singapore)

National Arts Council
Agency overview
Formed	October 15, 1991 (1991-10-15)
Preceding agencies	Singapore Cultural Foundation Cultural Division of Ministry of Community Development Festival of Arts Secretariat National Theatre Trust
Jurisdiction	Government of Singapore
Headquarters	140 Hill Street #03-01 MICA Building Singapore 179369
Annual budget	$88 million SGD (2010)
Agency executives	Edmund Cheng Wai Wing, Chairman Benson Puah, Chief Executive Officer
Parent agency	Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
Website
www.nac.gov.sg

Sculpture at MICA Building, where the headquarters of the National Arts Council Singapore are located.

The National Arts Council of Singapore (Abbreviation: NAC; Chinese: 国家艺术理事会; Malay: Majlis Kebudayaan Kebangsaan Singapura) was established in September 1991 "to nurture the arts and make it an integral part of life in Singapore.

History

The National Arts Council was formed from the amalgamation of the Singapore Cultural Foundation, Cultural Division of Ministry of Community Development, Festival of Arts Secretariat and the National Theatre Trust in 1991.

Organisation structure

There are currently eight divisions in the NAC: Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Resource Development, Audience Development, Planning, Market Development and Corporate Communications, and Corporate Services. These eight divisions work with each other to implement strategies and programmes to better the art scene in Singapore.

Arts cluster development

The NAC adopted an arts cluster development approach starting from 15 April 2004. This project was led by a dedicated team of officers championing the performing, visual and literary art forms. This new approach enabled the Council to develop the all its various art forms in a holistic manner by working through the entire value chain, nurturing and developing artists, arts groups and arts businesses, to providing international stages for Singaporean artists to showcase their talents . This new plan also helps enhance the relationship within the arts community, where artists and arts groups become partners, implementing the cluster development plan.

Assistant schemes

In order to help develop Singapore's young art talents and organisations, the NAC has set up schemes to provide them with financial and non-financial assistance at all levels of participation. These schemes include 2-year and as well as annual grant to provide funding to major arts companies as well as various project grants, which also assist in the production and presentation of artistic work and activities. In order for the council to promote Singapore arts overseas, International Development Grants' are available to artists and arts companies for touring, collaboration and marketing.

ArtReach

In order to create more demand for the arts in Singapore, the council has supported a range of outreach and community programmes which are collectively known as ArtReach. ArtReach was initiated to reach out to the wider community's participation in the arts and making the arts for all. With all of ArtReach's programmes being free, these programmes offer everyone the chance to experience and enjoy the arts.

National Arts Council Arts Education Programme

The National Arts Council Arts Education Programme (NAC-AEP) develops initiatives that promotes both the value and importance education of the arts and also teaches the youth how to appreciate them. It connects both the arts community with the education sector and at the same time, it also supports the development of arts educators.

The NAC-AEP also assesses and endorses all art education programmes offered by Singapore's arts groups and arts education providers for schools. All endorsed programmes are eligible for the Tote Board Arts Grant subsidy. Assessment of the arts education programmes are conducted by a panel of officials, consisting of arts and education experts, principals from the Singapore Ministry of Education and the National Arts Council.

NAC also started the annual National Arts Education Award in 2003 to recognise and reward schools in Singapore with good arts practices and programmes.

External links

• National Arts Council Singapore
• Singapore Murals |http://murals.sg A Wikipedia page that showcase the murals in Singapore. Portal created by Social Creatives. NGO that does Community Art to make society colourful visually and emotionally]