Federal government commits $100k for closer cultural ties with Singapore

Federal arts minister Mitch Fifield has committed $100,000 to grow further music and cultural links with Singapore.

Four projects have been identified by the Australia Singapore Arts Group to strengthen ties between the two countries, and open up opportunities for their musicians and arts professionals to share skills and create new work.

In terms of contemporary rock, a Singaporean headline act will perform at Asia Pop Fest 2020, a new pop festival held in Melbourne as part of AsiaTOPA 2020.

The other initiatives include:

• Major Southeast Asian performing arts conference, the Borak Arts Series, will be held outside SE Asia for the first time, in Adelaide as part of the OzAsia Festival in November 2018.
• A new live performance work called Dragon Ladies Don’t Weep, developed by Australian contemporary arts company Chamber Made in collaboration with Singapore’s CultureLink.
• Two new community arts projects will be created through In My Neighbourhood, an initiative supporting engagement between UNESCO Creative Cities in Australia and Singapore.

In June 2015 Australia and Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Arts and Culture.

Western Australia and Singapore always have a separate relationship where bands from each play at each others’ festivals.

A few years ago, Adelaide hosted the Australia-Singapore Cultural Leaders’ Forum with 150 attendees from both countries to discuss more ways to interact.

​Minister Fifield said at the time, “The creative economy is a huge force.

“The arts in the Asia Pacific region make an economic contribution of more than $740 billion, and there are economic opportunities for both our countries through closer collaboration.

“Arts and cultural exchanges also provide opportunities for artists to develop their skills and share their work with new audiences, and to build mutual cultural understanding.

“This provides the foundations for enduring relationships and security in the region.”