National Arts Council’s Major and Seed Grant Recipients for FY 2016

A total of 62 arts organisations will receive Organisation Development support from the National Arts Council’s (NAC) Major and Seed Grant schemes for the Financial Year (FY) 2016. This year, $16.2 million has been set aside by the NAC for both grants, an increase of nearly $1.1 million from FY 2015 funding. The three-year Major and Seed Grant schemes continue to support Singapore’s diverse performing, literary, and visual arts scene, by encouraging a growing pool of strong artistic talents and arts managers to shape Singapore’s cultural development for future generations.

 

This year, 25 Major Grant recipients join the 19 arts companies who were awarded in FY14 and FY15. The Major Grant scheme will enable these established organisations to deepen their unique artistic capabilities and organisational strengths, champion the development of their art form and industry in Singapore’s cultural landscape, as well as actively engage the community. Recipients include TheatreWorks, Siong Leng Musical Association, Era Dance Theatre, and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy.

 

The Seed Grant, which focuses on helping emerging, non-profit arts organisations kick-start programmes and operations, will support five first-time recipients in addition to the 13 recipients from FY14 and FY15. The new recipients are National Poetry Festival, Objectifs Centre Ltd, SA the Collective, Sing Lit Station, and Young People’s Performing Arts Ensemble. Please refer to Annexes A and B for the full list of all Major and Seed Grant recipients.

 

This increase reflects the Council’s funding strategy, with an emphasis on nurturing key intermediaries, such as Singapore Drama Educators Association and the National Book Development Council of Singapore, which are critical to the arts industry, as well as strengthening the Traditional Arts scene. There is a bumper crop of 12 Traditional Arts organisations among this year’s recipients.

 

NAC is also heartened that the Seed Grant has had some success in nurturing strong arts organisations as eight former Seed Grant groups across different arts genres have advanced to the Major Grant scheme this year. These groups, including Art Photography Centre, NADI Singapura, Nine Years Theatre and Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Dance Theatre, have achieved stability and growth as arts organisations, and will benefit from the Major Grant scheme as they continue to build their artistic practice and programming.

 

Says Ms Kathy Lai, Chief Executive Officer, NAC, “The Major Grant and Seed Grant are among the most impactful tools we have to support the arts in Singapore. We hope the funding continues to strengthen the arts companies, inspire more diverse arts making and create more avenues for outreach. Given the uncertain economic climate ahead, we also hope paying audiences, patrons and corporates continue to support these companies, which represent the best of our nation’s creative talents. NAC is also taking the timely opportunity to fine-tune the Major Grants framework this year to improve the long-term sustainability of our groups, help diversify their income streams and develop new audiences while maintaining their artistic excellence. We will be engaging our various stakeholders in due course as we refine the framework.”

 

Arts Grants Recipients are

Major recipients:

1 Art Photography Centre

2 Art Outreach

3 National Book Development Council of Singapore

4 New Opera

5 Orchestra of the Music Makers

6 Philharmonic Winds

7 The Observatory

8 Wild Rice

9 TheatreWorks

10 Nine Years Theatre

11 Toy Factory

12 Teater Ekamatra

13 Paper Monkey

14 Singapore Drama Educators Association

15 Frontier Danceland

16 Raw Moves

17 Chinese Calligraphy Society Singapore

18 Era Dance Theatre

19 Bhaskar’s Arts Academy

20 Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Dance Theatre

21 Dance Ensemble Singapore

22 Chinese Theatre Circle

23 Siong Leng Musical Association

24 Ding Yi Music Company

25 NADI Singapura

 

Groups recipients:

1 Intercultural Theatre Institute Ltd

2 O School

3 Odyssey Dance Theatre

4The Substation

5 T.H.E Dance Company

6 Singapore Dance Theatre

4 Apsaras Arts

5 The Arts Fission Company

6 Singapore Repertory Theatre

3 groups supported from FY15

16 groups supported from FY14

Annex A – FY 2016 Major Grant Recipients

7 Drama Box Ltd

8 Cake Theatrical Productions Ltd

9 The Necessary Stage Ltd

10 The Theatre Practice Ltd

11 The Finger Players Ltd.

12 Checkpoint Theatre Limited

13 I Theatre Ltd

14 T’ang Quartet

15 The Singapore Lyric Opera Limited

16 Singapore Wind Symphony

 

About National Arts Council

The National Arts Council champions the arts in Singapore. By nurturing creative excellence and supporting broad audience engagement, we want to develop a distinctive global city for the arts. With a nod to tradition and an eye to the future, we cultivate accomplished artists and vibrant companies. Our support for the arts is comprehensive – from grants and partnerships to industry facilitation and arts housing. The Council welcomes greater private and corporate giving to and through the arts so that together we can make the arts an integral part of everyone’s lives. For more information on the Council’s mission and plans, please visit www.nac.gov.sg.