Chingay parade, yusheng amongst recommendations for Singapore’s subsequent UNESCO intangible cultural heritage nomination

SINGAPORE: The Chingay parade, yusheng and orchid cultivation are amongst 10 recommendations for Singapore’s second UNESCO intangible cultural heritage nomination.

This was revealed by Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Low Yen Ling throughout her ministry’s Committee of Supply debate on Thursday (Mar 10).

Singapore’s first and solely itemizing on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage record is hawker tradition, which was inscribed in December 2020.

Speaking in Parliament, Ms Low famous that there’s a “clear preference” for the second nomination to be multicultural in nature and relatable to Singaporeans.

This follows focus group discussions with about 170 contributors between June 2021 and January this yr. These contributors embrace intangible cultural heritage practitioners, heritage enterprise house owners, teachers and youths.

“A total of 10 possible elements have been suggested through these consultations. For example, our Chingay parade, the making and sharing of kueh, Peranakan beadwork and embroidery, orchid cultivation and yusheng, just to name a few,” mentioned Ms Low.

Other shortlisted parts embrace getai, conventional medical practices and Thaipusam, mentioned the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) in a factsheet.

NHB will broaden its consultations over the course of the approaching months to interact extra stakeholders, in addition to most of the people, earlier than a remaining determination is made on the factor to be nominated, added Ms Low.

S$12 MILLION BOOST FOR ARTS AND CULTURE

In his speech earlier within the afternoon, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong additionally introduced a S$12 million increase for the humanities and tradition sector because it recovers from the pandemic.

This follows the S$75 million Arts and Culture Resilience Package (ACRP), which was launched in April 2020. 

“The ACRP demonstrated the government’s clear commitment towards supporting the arts, culture and heritage sectors since the pandemic started,” mentioned Mr Tong. “This support was critical, safe-guarding jobs and livelihoods, and protecting talent in the sector.”

The ACRP and broad-based assist schemes supported greater than 900 arts and tradition organisations, he added. 

Mr Tong mentioned that the S$75 million for the ACRP can be absolutely utilised by the top of this monetary yr. The further S$12 million injection, he mentioned, will construct on the positive aspects made.

Part of the funds can be used to increase the Venue Hire Subsidy scheme for one more three extra months – from Apr 1 to Jun 30 – at a lowered fee of 30 per cent, added Ms Low.

“This will continue to defray venue hire costs for our practitioners, as we progressively resume activities and welcome back larger audiences,” she added.

The scheme, which goals to assist arts and tradition organisations and practitioners handle overheads, was initially an 80 per cent subsidy till the top of final yr. It was decreased to 60 per cent between January and March this yr.

The subsidy supported greater than 1,700 reside performances and different cultural actions in 2020 and 2021, mentioned MCCY.

The National Arts Council and the NHB may even incorporate two grants – the Organisation Transformation Grant and the Self-Employed Persons Grant – into their grant schemes, Mr Tong introduced.

Introduced in 2021, the Organisation Transformation Grant sustained and developed organisations’ efforts to rework, specifically heritage companies. It supported greater than 100 transformation tasks involving about 190 organisations, the ministry mentioned.

Also launched final yr, the Self-Employed Persons Grant created alternatives for many who are self-employed to discover new expertise and capabilities by collaboration with one another. This generated greater than 5,000 work and coaching alternatives.

The NAC will introduce a brand new Sector Transformation Fund to “promote and sustain” the transformation efforts of Singapore’s arts and tradition group, added Ms Low.

ENCOURAGING CULTURAL PHILANTHROPY

As a part of a transfer to additional encourage cultural philanthropy, the Cultural Matching Fund will obtain a S$150 million top-up, Mr Tong mentioned.

Established in 2013, the fund offers dollar-for-dollar matching of personal money donations to arts and heritage charities. Its aims are to encourage cultural philanthropy, and to encourage arts and heritage charities to diversify revenue streams by way of fundraising.

The transfer will additional encourage cultural philanthropy in Singapore and improve the sustainability of arts and heritage sectors, mentioned Mr Tong.