The National Arts Council (NAC) released a filmlet starring seven Singaporean artists across art forms as part of the #SGCultureAnywhere campaign. Produced by Chuan Pictures and directed by acclaimed local director and 2002 Young Artist Award recipient Royston Tan, the 30-second piece showcases the wonder of Singapore’s art and portrays the resilience and versatility of our artists who have been seeking new ways to bring the arts to Singaporeans even during this challenging period.

The seven artists are coming together for the first time in this visual medley to showcase the robust and vibrant arts scene in Singapore – from music, dance and theatre to traditional, literary, and visual arts. Artists representing their respective art forms include dance pioneer and 1990 Cultural Medallion recipient Santha Bhaskar; novelist and 2007 Cultural Medallion recipient Isa Kamari; jazz vocalist Joanna Dong; music composer and sound artist, 2012 Young Artist Award recipient Darren Ng; principal dancer of Singapore Dance Theatre Kwok Min Yi; theatre actress and 2014 Young Artist Award recipient Siti Khalijah; as well as visual artist Farizwan Fajari (Speak Cryptic). Together, they embody the spirit of the arts community to make arts and culture available for all to enjoy.

Paul Tan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Planning and Corporate Development), NAC, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for the arts sector on many fronts. But as we work towards the gradual resumption of live performances in our arts spaces, this filmlet hopes to remind us of the power of the arts and celebrates the best of our home-grown talents. We look forward to sharing the filmlet with all Singaporeans in various social media and broadcast platforms and encourage everyone to turn to the arts for inspiration and cheer as we navigate the long-term impact of the pandemic.”

Launched in April by NAC on behalf of the whole culture sector, the #SGCultureAnywhere campaign brings together the best of Singapore’s arts and culture digital offerings on one integrated platform on the A-list to be enjoyed and experienced, anytime and anywhere. Beyond individual artists, arts groups have been stepping forward in their digitalisation efforts with the support of the Arts and Culture Resilience Package to turn this crisis into opportunity. From National Companies like the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Chinese Orchestra to arts companies like Checkpoint Theatre, Siong Leng Musical Association, and many more, NAC is confident that Singapore’s artists and arts organisations will continue to find creative ways to bring #SGCultureAnywhere and everywhere.

The filmlet can be viewed on the National Arts Council and The A List Facebook and YouTube pages. Members of the public can also catch it on free-to-air television channels over the next two months.