The National Arts Council (NAC) has prioritised
traditional arts companies and groups in the earlier stages of
growth, in the 2017 funding cycle announced on March 31.
A total of $16.34 million has been committed by the NAC
for both the Major Company and Seed Grant schemes this year. This
is a up from the $16.2 million awarded last year.
However, in light of "budget reduction across the
government and the growth in the number of deserving recipients
over the years," some groups would experience a drop in funding of
less than 10 per cent, according to the NAC.
A total of 25 arts organisations will receive funding
in this cycle.
After a review in 2016, the Major Company Scheme was
fine tuned to include two new funding tracks - Bridging and
Intermediary - in addition to the Artmaking track.
The NAC said this would "encourage groups to be more
focused in their artistic endeavours to reach new audiences,
professionalise the sector and better streamline their
capabilities".
"Artmaking, or the creation and presentation of high
quality art, remains one of the Council's priorities and receives
the bulk of Major Company funding," said the NAC in its
release.
Meanwhile, the Bridging track focuses on the creation
of programmes that promote arts accessibility, develop new
audiences and build appreciation of the arts, while the
Intermediary track would support the development of artists and the
sector through advocacy, capability development or research.
Some groups under the the Major Company Scheme for the
first time, include traditional Malay arts performing company Sri
Warisan and Chinese-language theatre company Arts Theatre of
Singapore which reaches out to young audiences. These are the two
new recipients this year.
The Major Company Scheme is given out by NAC to support
the professional and artistic development of registered arts
organistions in Singapore through a 3-year grant, while the Seed
Grant focuses on helping emerging organisations start programmes
and operations. The Seed Grant has five new recipients this
year.
Mrs Rosa Daniel, NAC's chief executive officer said:
"We are delighted to recognise a wide diversity in the arts groups
that have been admitted in the Major Company and Seed Grant schemes
this year. While continuing to uphold quality in the arts, NAC's
revised framework also focuses on cultivating and growing
audiences, as well as the longer-term development of our arts
practitioners."
ST