That the government gives a considerable amount of funding to the arts is acknowledged, even by some artists. However, questions have been raised about how and where the money is being distributed.
Among the key questions about arts funding are:
- What art forms should get more government funding, and what are those that warrant less support?
- How should the pursuit of artistic excellence be balanced with the nurturing and supporting of new artists?
- Do conditions of funding undermine rather than encourage artistry, experimentation, and criticality, and how?
- Should funding be disbursed at an arm’s length from the government?
- These and other questions on the future of arts funding will be discussed by policymakers, artists, academics, and other experts at this roundtable.
This is the fifth in a series of roundtable discussions jointly organised by the Institute of Policy Studies and Singapore Art Museum about cultural policy in Singapore.
To allow for free and frank exchange, this will be a “closed-door” roundtable held under the Chatham House Rule.
About the IPS-SAM Spotlight on Cultural Policy Series
The IPS-SAM Spotlight on Cultural Policy Series is a space for frank, robust, and collegial discussion of the issues and challenges relating to arts and cultural policy in Singapore. Each discussion will gather members of the arts and creative community, policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders working across different fields, to discuss a specific, timely topic about the arts and cultural policy landscape in Singapore. The goal is to assess current policies and offer recommendations for the future. The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is the venue sponsor for the 2015–2018 series.
Since 2015, four roundtable discussions have been held, on “The State of Literature Education in Singapore”, “Place Management and Placemaking in Singapore”, “The Development of Community Arts in Singapore”, and “The Future of Cultural Leadership in Singapore”
The seminars in the series are:
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