Identity, Culture & the Arts

Whats Inside Identity, Culture, the Arts and Singapore An Overview with Definitions, Facts & Stats : ational Identity Culture !he Arts !he Arts in Singapore "ecent ota#le Art $vents & $%hi#itions in Singapore Other !houghts on &op Culture and Cultural 'lo#alisation A !ruly Singaporean Identity: Creation versus $volutionSingapore: An Art /u#/ow Arts Funding Affects Our Co11unities 4enith $ssay 2: 5&reserving national identity is a challenge in today6s world76 Discuss7 4enith $ssay (: Considering the rapid rate of change in the world, should we still hold on to traditions4enith $ssay ): !o what e%tent is cultural glo#alisation a good thing"elevant &2 8uestions fro1 A levels and college e%a1s

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National Identity
IDENTITY The distinctive characteristics of a persons character or the character of a group which relate to who they are and what
is meaningful to them. Some of the main sources of identity include gender, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnicity, and social class (and even the language, dialects or slangs we speak . !n important marker of an individuals identity is his or her name, and naming is also important for group identity. "!nthony #iddens, Sociology $ th %dition&

NATION ! named human population sharing a historic territory, common myths and historical memories, a mass pu'lic culture, a
common economy and common legal right and duties for all mem'ers. (!nthony (. Smith The material and sym'olic items a nation would (normally possess) a history esta'lishing its continuity through the ages a set of heroes em'odying its national values a language cultural monuments folklore 2ocal hero) historic sites 2im 1o Seng 4hinese folklore) Courney to the ,est distinctive geographical features a specific mentality a num'er of pictures*ue la'els such as costume, national dishes or an animal em'lem
(Not all nation-states would possess all of the above, especially for newly independent or younger states.)

The #reat Sphinx of #i+a, %gypt (5AA<@5A>5 14

NATIONAL IDENTITY ! collective identity among citi+ens defined 'y the nation they live in and not 'y race, ethnicity or religion. !
shared sense of 'elonging, history and sense of self form the 'asis for collective interest from which a country also determines its character. DEFININ
T!E NE"#LO#$ CONCEPT CALLED%

$IN APO&E IDENTITY' ,hat does it mean to 'e a Singaporean- ,hat more one who lives in a multi.cultural and at the same time,
cosmopolitan Singapore in a modern world- /a'its such as shopping, eating, 'eing 0kiasu and speaking Singlish are very much seen as uni*uely Singaporean traits. 1ut, if one em'odies such characteristics, is one automatically considered Singaporean2oosely defined however, the essence of the Singaporean national identity would 'e the ties that 'ind Singaporeans who have a clear sense of national purpose together. Some interesting statistics) 3inistry of 4ommunity (evelopment and Sports (34(S in 5667 conducted a survey on social attitudes of Singaporeans, revealing that 89: of Singaporean respondents felt proud of their country; 8<: considered Singapore to 'e their home. 5665 Institute of =olicy Studies (I=S survey ) <>: of Singaporean respondents considered materialism a national trait; $>: considered the fair treatment of fellow citi+ens to 'e a part of the national culture 5668 I=S survey ) National =ride (#N=?I(% Index measures extent to which a citi+en is proud of his nation, its achievements and what it stands for @ 79.5. Singapore ranks A th compared with the #N=?I(% of B6 other nations from data collected from an international study completed in 566$. =laces higher than Capan, Taiwan and South Dorea.

4ulture
Our cultural life has become the means by which we define who we are. Our sense of self comes through our choices about what we watch, read, listen to, create and play. ( ohn !olden, "he #rt Newspaper, $%)

C#LT#&E @ the learned and shared day.to.day living patterns which structure 'ehaviours, mentalities and all aspects of human
social interaction and social norms. In a nutshell, culture is the shared values, 'eliefs, attitudes and 'ehaviours of one community. 4ulture, 'eing historically derived and selected, consists of traditional ideas and attached values which su'scri'ing mem'ers pass on from generation to generation. These cultural patterns identify, and distinguish, mem'ers of that particular culture group. ((amen 78<9, =arson 78B8 W!AT $!APE$ C#LT#&E$( ?eligion, ethnicity, nationality, language, values, social norms, customs, technology, mass media, family, education etc.

$IN APO&E C#LT#&E is 'est descri'ed as a melting pot of 4hinese, 3alay, 1ritish and Indian cultures, a reflection of its immigrant history. ,hether it 'e food, religion, language or ethnic practices, the most striking part of Singapore culture is its rich ethnic multiplicity that has 'rought a'out a seamless diffusion in the way Singaporeans go a'out their everyday lives. !dded to this is the cosmopolitan outlook most Singaporeans have in a modern city.state that is very much open to the forces of glo'alisation. !ll this make it difficult to pin down exactly what is means to 'e 0 $ni&uely 'ingapore.

The !rts
T!E A&T$ There are various attempts to define the almost undefina'le @ !rt. The popular view is that !rt cannot 'e defined 'ecause the things we call(ed art do not have a distinctive feature in common and one definition could not possi'ly completely encompass this institution of !rt. (2ansing 566B The arts, however, is now commonly used as an um'rella term to refer to the various aesthetic mediums and modes through which ideas and emotions, oftentimes compositionally satisfying, are skillfully composed and presented to an audience. !rt is not stagnant and has had a complicated history. New genres, art forms and modes are constantly 'eing developed and adopted as well as the appropriation of new audiences, standards of tastes evolve, as do understandings of aesthetic properties and experiences. A $I)PLE LO$$A&Y' *isual arts) creations that are primarily visual in nature, eg. drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, Eewelry, furniture and interior design etc. Per+,r-ing arts) where the artist uses hisFher own 'ody, face, and presence as a medium, eg dance, music, opera, musical theatre, drama, magic, circus arts. )edia arts) media design, advertising, animation, film, digital art etc. Literary arts) literally the art of written works, literature in the forms of novels, drama, poetry, short story in various genres (comedy, tragedy, romance, satire, tragicomedy, epic, lyric etc . Fine arts) encompasses art forms developed primarily for aesthetics andFor concept rather than practical application. 4an encompass 'oth visual and performing art forms. A..lied art) the application of design and aesthetics to o'Eects of function and everyday use. !s opposed to fine arts which serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer or academic sensi'ilities, the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to o'Eects of utility, such as a cup, maga+ine or decorative park 'ench. %xamples include industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior design, architecture, comics, even images produced in commercial contexts such as film posters or old adverts can 'e collected. F#NCTION$ & *AL#E OF T!E A&T$ !rtworks are conduits of culture. In other words, they carry and em'ody the cultures from which they come from. !rt is also, to many, a pu'lic sharing of an intensely personal experience. Gunctions of the !rts) 4ommunication) transmitting new values and ideas 4reation and appreciation of 'eauty 4reative expression of the imagination Sensorial experience %ntertainment H leisure (ecorative or sym'olic functions in cultural rituals Tool for political change, social in*uiry or criti*ue Some 'eliefs of the Ialue of the !rts) Important to education and development of social skills %ncourages individual engagement to the community and the glo'al network of various cultures =romotes critical thinking (eeper humanistic understanding of the world and humanity 4alming and civili+ing influence on society %conomic 'enefits and provision of Eo's (!lthough *uantifying the economic effect of spending on the arts is notoriously difficult, a 5669 report 'y !mericans for the !rts, a non.profit organi+ation for advancing the arts in the Jnited States, found that every K7 'illion of spending 'y arts groups and their audiences resulted in a'out 96,666 full.time e*uivalent Eo's. ! connection 'etween arts spending and increased tourism revenue has also 'een cited in studies in a num'er of countries. %nhances cultural landscape

4ultural tourism =romotes cultural expression =reserves certain cultural traditions and rituals

The !rts in Singapore

()ore than *+ arts and cultural activities are ta,ing place in 'ingapore every day."Source) www.mica.gov.sg&

OT!E& FACT$ & FI #&E$ /$#&*EYED 0121, COLLATED 01223

Total tickets sold for performing arts events have increased from $A5,B66 in 566B to <BA,A66 in 5676. Total ticketed attendance of performing arts events increased from 897,$66 in 566> to 7,>99,866 in 5676. Total gross takings increased from SK>5.98 million in 566B to SKA6.A> million in 5676. 3ost popular arts and cultural events in 5668 were musical (79: , street art performances (75: and popular, rock, indieFalternative music (8: . !rts attendance (have attended at least one arts event in the past year is higher among the 7A.78 age group, =3%TS (professionals, managers, executives and technicians and students.

96: increase in total operating receipts of companies dealing in fine art and collecti'les in Singapore, from SK585 million in 566> to SKA6B million in 566<. Num'er of performing arts venues in Singapore) A$, total seating capacity) BB,666. Total visitorship for all museums) 9.$7million Num'er of 'uildings ga+etted as national monuments) $B

&ECENT NOTA"LE A&T E*ENT$ &E4!I"ITION$ IN $IN

$inga.,re "iennale 0122' O.en !,use .'ource/ www.singaporebiennale.org0

APO&E

Lrganised 'y Singapore !rt 3useum Supported 'y National !rts 4ouncil 2asted 8 weeks) 7> 3arch @ 7A 3ay 5677 %xhi'ition venues) Lld Dallang !irport, S!3, S!3 at <M, National 3useum of Singapore, 3arina 1ay !ttracted 875,<89 visitors, surpassing target of $A6,666 Total visitor figure made up of 78$,65< indoor or admitted visitors, $8$,968 outdoor visitors at "he )erlion !otel and National 3useum of Singapore (N3S ?otunda, as well as 56,7$6 visitors to other auxilliary and pre.opening events of the 1iennale. Strong support from private and pu'lic sector) 58 organisations came forth to provide some K7.A million in cash and in.kind sponsorship 3ore than 7$7 works 'y $> artists from >6 countries

The )erli,n !,tel 5y Tat6u Nishi /Le+t3 =art of the Singapore 1iennale 5677 Temporary A star suit comprising Singapores tourism icon @ the 3erlion Lpen in the day for free walk.through pu'lic viewing and in the evening for overnight stays 3em'ers of the pu'lic could 'ook one.night stay 'etween B !pril @ A 3ay for two adults at S#(7A6 nett; was fully 'ooked within an hour of opening the reservation hotline

Ele.hant Parade 0122 ,orlds largest open air exhi'ition of decorated elephant statues seeking to attract pu'lic awareness and support for !sian elephant conservation 7$5 life.si+ed 'rightly.painted and ornamented elephants decorated 'y international artists and cele'rities scattered throughout Singapore Spotted at Lrchard ?oad, 3arina 1ay, Iivo4ity, Singapore Noo, 1otanic #ardens, museums and more =ast < exhi'itions (worldwide have raised over OB million Staged until 9 Can 5675 and auctioned off 'y Sothe'ys on 75 and 7B Can 5675; 56: of auction proceeds will go to The !sian %lephant Goundation, A: to the conservation section of ,ildlife ?eserves Singapore, 7A: to the artists who decorated the statues, 7A: to %lephant =arade.com as royalties and B6: to cover costs of exhi'ition, fringe events and auctions.

Drea-s & &eality 7 )aster.ie8es ,+ Painting, Dra9ing & Ph,t,gra.hy ,+ )usee dOrsay ! travelling exhi'ition held at the Singapore National 3useum Showcasing 7B6 pieces from the 3usPe dLrsay in =aris. (?ight Lne of the more famous exhi'its at the exhi'ition) Iincent Ian #oghs famous 'tarry Night Over the 1hone (7<<< .

Lther thoughts
P,. 8ulture : is it .art ,+ the Arts(
=opular culture can often 'e defined as 0mass culture. It is undenia'ly associated with all everyday occurrences and forms of 0commercial culture that are popular with the masses. These include fashions and fads, social ha'its and attitudes, the mass media, pop music and icons and viral images on the internet such as memes. /owever, some perceive pop culture as very distinct from 0high culture, or high art (painting, sculpture, poetry, architecture , since it appeals to mainstream tastes, interests and suscepti'ilities and may adopt more non.conventional artistic forms such as Qoutu'e and we'cams. This high.low culture dichotomy was previously placed along a good.'ad axis in which the consensus was that high culture was more official, superior and of greater economic and artistic value. 3any critics of course felt that such discrimination was 'ased on cultural sno''ery and emotional elitism; too often was it associated with 'ut (unfairly limited to the fancies and preoccupations of the wealthy Drowning Girl, #y pro1inent A1erican and powerful. pop artist "oy 9ichstenstein :20,);7 In recent times, the a'solute Eudgement of pop culture as 0lower than high culture is 'eing challenged and reassessed. There is 'oth trashy and valua'le high art, Eust as there is 'oth kitschy and precious popular culture. /igh culture has seen the disruption of itself 'y pop culture as well as hy'rids of high with mass pop culture, affording pop culture a new valuation as well as gradually transgressing the good.'ad, high.low categories.

The Golden Calf #y Da1ien /irst :2002; is a a #ull preserved in for1aldehyde, with a head crowned #y a solid<gold disc, and hooves and horns cast in 2=<>arat gold7 !he art piece, despite criticis1s of it #eing tac>y and a#surd sold for ?237) 1illion nonetheless7

Cultural gl,5ali6ati,n
There are various areas that the phenomena of glo'ali+ation has affected @ economic, political, cultural. The term 0glo'alisation has existed since the 78$6s and largely, and originally, referred to the ena'ling of financial and investment markets to operate internationally due to deregulation and improved communications. Today, the concept of glo'ali+ation is often

linked to the idea that the world is now much smaller and even 'orderless, as a result of the rapid development of de.territorialising media and communications technologies. Simply put, cultural glo'ali+ation is the transmission, diffusion, interaction and sometimes import and export of cultures glo'ally. Since culture and cultural experiences are necessarily tied to geographical spaces, a glo'ali+ation of cultures occurs from the movement of people, o'Eects, signs and sym'ols during travel and the movement of cultural artifacts, 'ooks and documents. This is possi'le largely 'ecause of modern mass media which is the source of most glo'al informational flows. Gacilitated 'y the various forms of communication and transportation, different cultures come into contact, and in interacting, negotiate their similarities and differences there'y sometimes ru''ing off on each other. This contact leads to spreading and sharing, importing and exporting of cultures and in some cases, a complete modification or adoption. Grom a humanist perspective, glo'ali+ation entails 'oth positive and negative conse*uences) it is 'oth narrowing and widening the income gaps among and within nations, intensifying and diminishing political domination, and homogeni+ing and plurali+ing cultural identities. The glo'ali+ation de'ate is still ongoing in which some contend that cultural glo'ali+ation acts as a solvent, diluting cultures and dissolving cultural differences (and hence, diversity . The result of this is glo'al cultural homogeneity, or even a western cultural imperialism in which western commercial culture is accused of encroaching into other culturally weaker and vulnera'le spaces. F,r -,re ,n 8ultural gl,5ali6ati,n, re+er t, an essay ,n it ,n .age 2;<

!rticles A Truly $inga.,rean Identity' Creati,n =ersus E=,luti,n(

Stephanie Neu'ronner R Institute of =olicy Studies R (ec 5676 !t the recently concluded Qoung Singaporeans 4onference (QS4 5676, organi+ed 'y the Institute of =olicy Studies, participants and speakers addressed issues pertinent to Singapores survival socially as well as economically. ! key theme was the notion of the Singaporean identity. The term 0identity refers to a set of 'ehavioral or personal characteristics 'y which an individual is recogni+ed as a mem'er of a group, and is a term of key importance to the nation.state. The state is 'oth a political and geographical entity, and the nation a cultural andFor ethnic entity with a tightly knit group of people who share a common identity. The most noticea'le characteristic of a nation.state is the degree to which nation.states use the state as an instrument of national unity in economic, social and cultural life. The creation of a uniformed national identity is thus crucial, and when implied unity is a'sent, the nation.state often tries to create it through the use of state policy. The promotion of a uniform national language through language policy and the standardi+ation of educational curriculum in schools are examples of such instances. 4ommon identities in the things people associate themselves to, are also important. Taking the form of sym'ols, icons, spaces and places which are characteristic of a peoples traditions and practices, such associations allow citi+ens the a'ility to feel connected to the nation. Gor instance, it has 'een argued that Grances 'id towards getting its cuisine recogni+ed as a uni*ue form of intangi'le cultural heritage and included on the JN%S4L ,orld /eritage list, is merely a display of the countrys arrogance which would only encourage the revival of old nationalist feuds. Qet, the specific methods and techni*ues re*uired in the preparation of Grench 4uisine, and the association of certain food and wine which are specifically Grench, can 'e seen as a representation of the Grench way of life. The Grench acknowledge this association and cele'rate the Sgastronomic meal of the GrenchT as a tradition, giving themselves a common identity they as a community are a'le to relate to. ,ith the vast transformation of Singapores physical and social landscape, concerns over the loosening of Singaporeans sense of 'elonging to their country have 'een raised. The period preceding Singapores cele'ration of its independence, National (ay, sees Singaporeans most vocal a'out their concerns over the future of their social fa'ric. 2ocal newspapers see sharp rises in the num'er of articles it pu'lishes on topics such as loyalty, 'elonging and commonness amongst Singaporeans. 4ompounded with an increased inflow of immigrants and a growing num'er of Singaporeans going a'road for employment, study and retirement, the meaning and identity of a true Singaporean, is *uestioned. (uring the second Session of the QS4 @ 'haring a 2ommon 3dentity , speakers highlighted the difference 'etween the creation and evolution of a shared identity. They *uestioned what it really means to a Singaporean, whether an identity could 'e created, and whether Singapore was willing to venture into uncharted waters and 'e the author of its own narrative. /aving constantly looked at other nations success and failures and adapted its strategies to emerge victorious in 'oth its con*uests and in solving its own

challenges, was Singapore willing to adopt a paradigm shift in its outlook from 'eing purely economical, and accept that the Singapore Spirit has to 'e nurtured 'ased on 'onds, significance, and associations the citi+enry had amongst themselves and also its governmentSingapores ideological history has 'een shaped largely 'y changing societal needs. In the immediate post.independence years, social policy in Singapore was determined 'y what the leaders of the ruling =eoples !ction =arty (=!= 'elieved to 'e the 'est course of action for an emerging Singapore. Their vision was that of a ro'ust and rugged society where the values of hard work and self.reliance were highly valued. The governing principle was meritocracy. Lnce Singapore achieved a relatively high level of economic and social development in the 7886s, concern was expressed a'out the harsh edge of meritocracy and competitiveness. The widening distinction 'etween the haves and have.nots caused gaps 'etween different segments of society to increase, resulting in the fear that there might 'e some who would 'e left 'ehind. The lack of a common uni*ue culture to 'ind its citi+ens together had 'een pointed out, resulting in the argument that a Singaporean identity had not yet gelled, and unless checked, would result in society falling victim to a changing external climate. There was therefore, a need to identify common key values in the hope that all the communities which make up multiracial Singapore, would gradually develop more distinctively Singaporean characteristics over time. The Shared Ialues, five statements 'y which the #overnment hoped would help 'ind its citi+ens together as a nation, was thus introduced. 4onceived in 78<< 'y the then first (eputy =rime 3inister 3r #oh 4hok Tong, the Shared Ialues incorporated key common values that all racial groups and faiths in Singapore could su'scri'e to and live 'y, attempting to preserve the various
The five Shared Values are: Nation before community and society above self; Family as the basic unit of society; Community support and respect for the individual; Consensus, not conflict; Racial and religious harmony

groups !sian identities in a period of glo'ali+ation. Lutside of these Shared Ialues, each community was still encouraged to practice its own values as long as they were not in conflict with national ones. The main theme underlying the set of Shared Ialues emphasi+ed communitarian values and reflected Singapores heritage. The nation and the community are identified in three out of its five values, with one value highlighting the role of the family and the last one centered on the individual. The five calues also stressed the secularity of the state and its religious neutrality. Qet, identity is associated to certain aspects of a culture which are taken as sym'olic of an entire nation and which resonate with individuals from all walks of life. Individuals need to 'elieve in such characteristics 'efore they can share them, or as 1enedict !nderson puts it, 'e part of an imagined communityT. !nderson descri'es nations are SimaginedT 'ecause mem'ers 0never know most of their fellow.mem'ers, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion. /a'its such as shopping, eating, 'eing 0kiasu and speaking Singlish are very much seen as uni*uely Singaporean traits. /owever, if a person em'odies such characteristics, are they automatically considered Singaporean- !re the five Shared Ialues enough to 'ind Singapore together as a nation- ,hat exactly is Singapores national ideology! speaker at the QS4 argued that identity is emotional and not rational. It cannot 'e taught or forced without 'elief. /e added that patience is also needed 'efore a truly Singaporean identity, one all Singaporeans are comforta'le with, could 'e developed. !dditionally, another speaker pointed out that the Singapore Spirit, though seemingly diluted due to the influx of foreigners and the pervasiveness of increasingly idealistic young, should 'e allowed to flourish in its own uni*ue way. 4omparing the development of a Singaporean identity to the 'enchmarks set in the development of another countrys national ideologies, should not 'e held as the yardstick for Singapore to measure up to. /aving an open mind is key in allowing Singapore, a uni*ue multiracial society, find its own distinguishing nation identity, he said. %ncouraging civic engagement amongst the citi+enry has 'een suggested as one way Singapore could foster a more distinct national identity. The com'ined efforts of individuals targeted at making a difference in the lives of their community mem'ers, will result in an eventual amalgamation of knowledge, skills, values and motivations. Gurthermore, the sense of personal responsi'ility individuals feel in upholding their o'ligations as part of any community will deepen an individuals 'ond to that community. If Singapore were to let this uni*uely Singaporeans way of contri'uting to society flourish, a shared identity, one which the entire nation could identify with, could then result. Still, a sense of 'elonging amidst a new emerging environment, internally and externally needs to 'e inculcated. The emotional sensi'ilities of Singaporeans need to 'e addressed 'efore attachment, loyalty and 'elonging can 'e gained. =erhaps, civic engagement, an avenue for individuals to experience and develop a common shared identity is the answer. 1ut, is Singapore as a nation, ready for this new chapter in its development- That remains to 'e seen.

Food for thought:

1. 2. Instead of developing its identity, Singapore is gradually losing it. How far do you agree? (HCIJC2 '(e Singapore identity is )erely a *on*ept )ade up +y t(e govern)ent. ,is*uss. (JJCJC2 !"#$1"&
!"#$%&

$inga.,re' An Art !u5(

The ,all Street Cournal R 7B Sept 5677 Singapores fledgling art scene may finally 'e taking off. ! flurry of events this year have generated 'u++ and drawn crowds to the city.state. Canuarys inaugural !rt Stage, with exhi'its from !i ,eiwei, Qayoi Dusama and Takashi 3urakami, attracted >5,666 fee. paying attendees. The Singapore 1iennale drew a record.'reaking 87>,666 viewers. !nd come 567A, a $6,666.s*uare.meter National !rt #allery, which is slated to 'e the largest visual arts venue in Singapore, will 'e opened to house such events. SIn the area of visual art, Singapore has made tremendous progress,T says Tan 1oon /ui, director of the Singapore !rt 3useum. SThere has 'een a suite of platforms and showcases that have helped put Singapore prominently on the international art scene.T 3uch of this is due to a strong state.led effort to promote Singapore as a regional arts hu'. !rt Stage, which returns next year, was 'acked 'y government agencies like the Singapore Tourism 1oard and the %conomic (evelopment 1oard, a government 'ody that seeks to draw investment to the city.state. %ugene Tan, a director at the 'oard and a former director at the Sothe'ys Institute of !rt, curated the local art offerings at !rt Stage. 3eanwhile, the Singapore 1iennale, which was organi+ed 'y the Singapore !rt 3useum, had its $ million Singapore dollar (a'out JSKB.8 million 'udget largely funded 'y the government. 1ut is Singapore, long regarded 'y critics as a cultural 'ackwater, progressive enough to develop a thriving arts sceneThere have 'een some positive signs. Gor his presentation at the Singapore 1iennale, Capanese artist Tat+u Nishi was allowed, despite concerns even he expressed, to temporarily 'uild a hotel room around the citys iconic 3erlion statue. 2ast year, S/ush,T a short film touted as the Smost erotic movie ever made in Singapore,T was allowed to screen uncut. 1ut certain exhi'its, particularly when they touch on sex, have 'een shut down prematurely. Ta'oo su'Eects Sare usually political or sexually explicit,T says /elina 4han, managing director of the i=reciation gallery, who has developed a reputation for 'eing one of Singapores more outspoken art dealers. !rtists Sare free to explore any themes,T she says, S'ut whether itll 'e shown in pu'lic is another issue.T Indian artist T. Ienkanna was *uestioned 'y the police for his !rt Stage performance piece, in which he posed nude. It was cancelled shortly after the fair opened. 2oren+o ?udolf, director of !rt Stage, didnt respond to a re*uest for comment. 1ritish artist Simon GuEiwaras installation S,elcome to the /otel 3un'er,T which featured gay pornography U 'anned in Singapore 'y laws like the Jndesira'le =u'lications !ct U was also removed from the Singapore 1iennales line.up following a private preview. S%xhi'itions must 'e sensitive to specific local contexts,T says 3r. Tan of the Singapore !rt 3useum, which is run 'y the state. operated National /eritage 1oard. The museum Sshould have closed the entire work at the 'eginning,T he adds. That 'rouhaha over 3r. GuEiwaras exhi'it might have 'een 'ecause of its location U at the Singapore !rt 3useum, which descri'es itself as a family. friendly Spu'lic museum.T =rivate galleries face less intrusion 'y the government, says i=reciations 3s. 4han, who adds that she would 'e willing to show 3r. GuEiwaras exhi'it in its original state. Still, art that deals with race and religion is sensitive in a country where the 78$B race riots are fre*uently referred to in pu'lic discourse. SSingapore is a multiracial country, and I wouldnt show "art works with& negative messages that may provoke racial harmony and cause religious "tensions&,T she says. SIf there are concerns that certain installations could 'reak the law, negotiations should 'e carried out with the authorities 'eforehand to assess the situation.T ! 'igger *uestion is whether the growth of Singapores art market is sustaina'le. (espite the large audience drawn 'y !rt Stage, !rtSingapore, Singapores longest.running contemporary art fair, will go on hiatus this year. Shen =o 4hen, its director, said in a statement that this was to allow the fair to Sre.assess the market situation.T Similarly, some contend that the audience figures for the Singapore 1iennale were inflated. The organi+ers included visitors to the 1iennales pu'lic exhi'its, many of which are located in heavily trafficked areas in the city centre, in their num'ers. It also faces stiff competition in its !sian rival, /ong Dong. Its art fair, !rt /D, this year saw sales of works 'y such well.known artists as !ndreas #ursky and 2ouise 1ourgeois; a Ceff Doons piece sold for JSK>.A million. !rt /D doesnt release its total sales figures, 'ut that one sale was more than half the SK$ million !rtSingapore 'rought in last year. Sothe'ys and 4hristies moved their Southeast !sian art auction operations to /ong Dong in 5669 and 5665, respectively. Conathan Stone, 4hristies chairman and head of !sian art, attri'uted the move to the re*uests of collectors and Sthe strength of all the markets in /ong Dong.T /e declined to comment on the influence of government policies. Sothe'ys declined to comment. Jltimately, finances may cur' Singapores art.hu' aspirations more than cultural politics. Its sales remain Sa tiny fraction of /ong Dongs,T says 3s. 4han, who owns a /ong Dong gallery in addition to her Singapore one. SThe commercial scene does not represent that of a mature arts city. The challenge will 'e to transact all these exhi'itions and fairs to dollars and cents.T

Food for thought:

1. 2. ,o t(e arts, su*( as )usi* and literature, really play a signifi*ant role in Singaporean so*iety? (- levels 2"". / $%& How su**essful (as your *ountry +een in pro)oting t(e arts? (0JCJ2 !1"$1"&

23

!,9 Arts Funding A++e8ts Our C,--unities

!li /ackett R 4anadian Jniversity =ress R Ge' 9, 5675 II4TL?I!, 4!N!(! U ,hen Stephen /arper famously declared that Vordinary peopleV donWt care a'out arts funding during the 566< election campaign, artists and arts groups were *uickly forced to prove their worth. In 5668, KBA million was cut from the federal arts 'udget, and not long after, the government of 1ritish 4olum'ia (1.4. made serious cuts of its own. Since those serious cuts to arts funding in 5668, many artists and arts groups in 1.4. have had to find innovative ways to generate money while struggling to make ends meet. The Iictoria Spoken ,ord Gestival is one of the affected groups, and is coming into its second year without any government funding. 3issie =eters, festival director, said itWs the only one of its kind in 4anada, 'ut that their application for a government grant was denied. The festival pairs emerging poets with professionals from across the country to help them develop new skill sets. In lieu of government funding, =eters was inspired to fundraise for the festival herself and decided to register it with Indie#o#o, one of the 'iggest online funding platforms. VThe idea really was for me to 'e a'le to connect with the spoken word community, and the people who love the art from across the country,V she said. VIn this way, we can pool funding on a national level, get people excited, and get some exposure for the festival, in addition to getting funds.V 1eyond the funding, =eters said sheWs received community support in the form of 'illets, drivers, and other volunteers. VTo me, getting people who may not have otherwise had an opportunity to get involved is almost as valua'le, or more important, than the money,V she said. VItWs really made us 'uild that local network.V The Spoken ,ord GestivalWs situation is not uni*ue. Pu5li8 in=est-ent e>uals .u5li8 en?,y-ent Deith /iggins, a Iancouver.'ased artist, has 'een involved in artist.run organi+ations since the <6s. /e 'elieves that although there are ways for artists and arts groups to generate income, pu'lic investment allows artists to 'e more experimental in their work. /iggins said that when it comes to discussing arts funding, the focus often tends to revolve around whether or not artists can produce work, 'ut said thatWs not necessarily the issue. VQouWre going to see art made,V said /iggins, V'ut youWre not going to see it. ,hat pu'lic investment often ensures is that the pu'lic will have access to the culture thatWs 'eing made.V ,hether itWs paintings, sculpture, plays or writing, the access to culture is an important distinction. !lthough theres some truth to the Sstarving artistT stereotype, having poor artists doesnWt necessarily serve the community. VIf I see it from my point of view,V said /iggins, VI see the arts as a welcoming space. Muite often in theatre, music or dance, you find a haven for people who, for one reason or another, find they donWt fit in somewhere.V /iggins also said that exposure to arts and different culture can enhance communication within a community. V,eWre more a'le to get along as communities and as societies when thereWs access to culture,V said /iggins, Vespecially when thereWs culture 'eing produced thatWs actually responsive to the community.V !ccording to /iggins, the importance of the arts isnWt often acknowledged. The de'ate a'out the value of art can 'e a heated one. Lpponents of pu'lic arts funding say an unfair advantage is given to people who get grants over those who donWt. 1eyond that, itWs hard to place a monetary value on something as su'Eective as art. That 'eing said, /iggins maintains that culture is worth investing in, for 'oth social and economic reasons. VThe provincial government in 1ritish 4olum'ia, regardless of its political stripes, has rarely stepped up with ade*uate or reasona'le levels of support, especially when it comes to access to culture,V he said. VThe unfortunate thing a'out that is people without access donWt know what itWs like to have those facilities in their communities.V /iggins feels that the underinvestment in culture has left us in a negative cycle. Lne result of this historic lack of appreciation is that many artists have left their communities in search of a place where they will feel valued. It is also hard for artists to lo''y for federal money, either from the 4anada 4ouncil for the !rts, or the 4anada 4ultural Investment Gund, when they havenWt received previous investments at the provincial or municipal level. Artisti8 inde.enden8e Ian 4ase, general manager of the Intrepid Theatre, said theyWve had to make administrative changes, including the reduction of staff, to keep up with funding cuts. 4ase said the loss of provincial gaming grants and cuts to arts funding in 5668 has had huge impacts on the arts community in 1.4. The theatre company increasingly relies on earned revenues, donations and sponsorship to make ends meet. V!s the company has grown, itWs 'ecome less reliant on "government funding&,V said 4ase. V/aving said that, government funding is still really important, not only for Intrepid Theatre, 'ut for all the non.profit arts organi+ations, 'ecause it allows them to maintain the accessi'ility and afforda'ility of their programs.V /owever, increased reliance on commercial or 'ox.office sales means looking less at pushing the 'oundaries and more at marketing towards mass appeal. V/aving government funding means we can offer work that you might not see otherwise,V said 4ase. VIt also encourages artists to test their limits, and create work that is more exciting than regular commercial fare.V

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Art e8,n,-y The 1.4. !rts 4ouncil (14!4 is a provincially funded peer.review panel that gives grants to artists and arts groups. 2ast year the 14!4 contri'uted almost K79 million in arts grants, across 55A communities in 1.4. Stanley /amilton, 14!4 chairperson, said almost <6,666 people are employed in the arts sector in 1.4. The economic impacts of the arts are felt regionally, as well, and itWs not Eust the employment of the artists. /amilton points to the 1elfry Theatre and the Iictoria Symphony, 'oth of which receive operating grants from the 14!4, as supporters of the local economy. Their audiences tend to spend money on dinner or drinks when attending shows, as well as parking, pu'lic transportation and ca's. 4ase also knows the effect of the arts on the economy and heWs often asked to argue for the arts from the economic point of view. /e cites the 5676 #reater Iictoria !rts and 4ulture Sector %conomic !ctivity Study as a great example of the success of arts. VItWs not a small industry,V said 4ase. VIt creates a lot of Eo's, and itWs an economic generator municipally, in terms of activity downtown.V The study said the total economic activity generated 'y the #reater Iictoria arts and culture sector in 5676 was K796 million in net income. This takes into account all expenditures 'y part.time artists and ho''yists, full.time artists, arts 'usinesses and organi+ations, as well as money spent 'y arts patrons, and is the e*uivalent of K57 million in property tax revenue. The report shows that money invested in the arts scene in Iictoria not only stays in the community, it draws people here. The vi'rancy of a city rich in culture entices investors and tourists alike. /iggins, too, applauds the economic impact of the arts, 'ut points out that wages are still pretty low when compared to the provincial average, and a lot of artists are struggling. All .,ints t, .u5li8 +unding Co.!nn ?o'erts, host of #ll 4oints 5est on 414 ?adio Lne in Iictoria, said exposure to and involvement in the arts fosters our a'ility as a society to think creatively. VItWs always 'een my feeling that the arts allow us to think a'out 'igger issues,V said ?o'erts, Vand to see things in a way we havenWt seen them 'efore. The arts often show us a creative way forward when faced with tough times.V She makes the case for pu'licly funded art and includes some of 414Ws programming in that category, although not everyone agrees. Lpponents of the 414 say taxpayersW money would 'e 'etter spent elsewhere and the market should dictate art consumption. The issue with this, said ?o'erts, is that when left in the hands of private media corporations, the focus 'ecomes generating profit, rather than the pu'lic interest. V1ecause "414& is not tied to meeting Eust what shareholders want, we can often present what is not commercially via'le, at least initially,V said ?o'erts. The 'ottom line when it comes to arts funding, according to ?o'erts, is providing avenues for arts groups to 'e heard. She said arts cuts directly impact the state of arts in 4anada. VIf art isnWt pu'licly funded,V said ?o'erts, VthereWs less reason for private news or 'roadcast organi+ations to cover and support the arts, 'ecause theyWre not feeling any competitive pressure.V

Food for thought:

1. 2. 'o w(at e1tent s(ould t(e -rts +e funded +y t(e state? 2efer spe*ifi*ally to your so*iety. S(ould e*ono)i* gain +e t(e )ain purpose for developing t(e arts? (4JCJC1 !1"$2&
(' JCJC2 !"3$12&

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@enith Essays ,n Identity & Culture

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Preserving national identity is a challenge in todays world. Discuss. (MJCJC2MBT11 !"

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specially in the twentieth and twenty.first centuries, when many new nations have 'een carved out of seemingly nothing, governments have used the notion of patriotism to cultivate unity among the people and to give them a national identity. !cts, such as singing the national anthem or cele'rating your countrys independence day, are still fondly upheld and commemorated 'y many. Qet, in the multitude of events throughout history, others have a'used the power of a national identity, resulting in internationally known icons associated with national identity which are less fondly remem'ered, such as 3aos 2ittle ?ed 1ook and /itlers salute. In the midst of such negative associations, the increasingly apparent phenomena of immigration as well as glo'alisation, I 'elieve that preserving a national identity is indeed a challenge in todays world. Today, with improved transportation technology, many are leaving their homeland and migrating to other parts of the world. 1ehind them lies a culture that is familiar to them; in front of them lies a new national identity, waiting to 'e adopted. The innate adapta'ility of 3an means that many are a'le to take on new facets or identities should they choose to and put their mind to it. New ha'its can 'e ac*uired, as can characteristic 'ehaviour, accents, forms of speech, and even traditions, and these are 'eneficial and sometimes even necessary in ena'ling these migrants to integrate into their new societies with greater ease. In Singapore, it is not an uncommon sight to see foreigners speaking in Singlish, a main aspect of our Singaporean identity. ,ith them adopting a different manner of speaking, who is to say that they have not adopted other traits native to Singapore- It 'ecomes clear that they have left 'ehind part of their original national identity in preference for a new one to 'etter fit into the country they have chosen to live in. ,ith the increasing influx of foreigners in many regions such as %urope and !ustralia, it has 'ecome harder for these immigrants to preserve their original national identities. They are not the only ones facing difficulty in preserving their national identity. ,ith glo'alisation, foreign culture has inevita'ly diluted the notion of national identity. Goreign movies and languages are u'i*uitous, and are increasingly 'ecoming a significant part of peoples everyday lives. This trend can 'e seen in many areas of peoples everyday lives. No longer are producers screening their movies in their homeland alone, they are also 'ringing them to the world stage. The movie industrys most prestigious award show, the !cademy !wards, has also set aside another award for foreign films. %ven food, which is central to human life, and is the pride of many nationalities and cultures is now availa'le in not Eust its country of origin, 'ut in any glo'alised country and city, and is consumed 'y people of differing nationalities with great ease and relish. =eople all over the glo'e are increasingly comforta'le with elements of cultures that are not their own, and are even regarding it as part and parcel of their everyday lives. 1ecause these influences are unavoida'le, constant exposure to them means that they eventually 'ecome an important part of daily culture such that foreign cultures too 'ecome ways of life that are easy to relate to and identify with. Thus, it is easy to see how a distinct and uni*ue identity that 'elongs to one nation and one nation alone is increasingly encroached upon and difficult to preserve. In addition, 'ecause of various historical events that have left an indeli'le mark on peoples memories, a strong sense of national identity sometimes runs counter to the prevailing sentiments of the current age. ! strong sense of national identity usually re*uires a unified voice. In certain parts of the world today, however, the citi+ens of many countries are 'eginning to assert themselves and their own demands of their nation and what life there should 'e like. This phenomenon is 'rought a'out 'y the increasing affluence, level of education and exposure to other societies and how they function that many young, middle class citi+ens are now e*uipped with. The recent movement in the 3iddle %ast towards the greater freedom of various interest groups in society to voice out their demands, starting from %gypt all the way to 2i'ya, can 'e seen as part of a worldwide movement of countries towards democracy. ,hile the involvement of these 3iddle %astern countries may 'e surprising, the fact that the road to democracy leads to more tolerance of diversity and multiple identities within each society should not 'e. No longer willing to simply conform, citi+ens of nations that are progressive and democratic, and more and more countries nowadays want to 'e so, now seem to place less value and importance on a collective sense of national identity than they do on attaining a sense of individualism. Taking traits they like from different countries and merging them into one uni*ue identity of their own, the young people of the world are ever more eager to create their own S'randT. Therefore, the fact that other kinds of identity have come to the fore of peoples consciousness, far ahead of national identity, causing it to 'e a daunting task for governments to preserve national identity. /owever, some have put forth in the argument that in the light of this pro'lem, governments have adopted the necessary steps to continue to preserve ones national identity. These measures include increased pu'licity of a countrys independence day and teaching students a'out their countrys history. In !merica, students are expected to learn a'out !mericas 4ivil ,ar in the hope that this knowledge will contri'ute towards their sense of national pride and identity. Qet, even with such solutions in place, young people can very often still 'e apathetic or reluctant to conform to Sgroup.thinkT. 3any, in fact, 'ecome even more wary and critical of such force.feeding of information and preferred perspectives, and choose to view such actions 'y the government as propaganda. In fact, todays world is one which is increasingly distrusting of governments 'ecause of their politicking and the various well.pu'licised

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mistakes made in governance, as can 'e seen in the JS! and many countries in %urope. !s such, any information that seems to serve a governments purpose is often met with great scepticism 'y the well.educated. The impact that governments, which once 'ravely led their people towards independence in the no'le name of nationalism, once had now seems to have 'een lost, showing that it is in fact getting increasingly difficult to preserve national identity. Lther sceptics argue that despite various factors like glo'alisation and individualism, ones national identity is still preserved through sharing of common experiences and traits even without a governments concerted efforts to create them. ,hen !mericans meet, they form an instant 'ond as they remem'er the Gourth of Culy. ,hen the 4hinese meet, they will naturally agree that the #reat ,all of 4hina is the most iconic landmark any country can have. Such sentiments of patriotism are ena'ling the preservation of national identity in an informal 'ut genuine way. /owever, those who argue this fail to understand that todays ever changing world is refuting their claim. In the face of glo'al pro'lems, such as terrorism and /II, many countries are uniting as one to com'at these pro'lems. The recent earth*uake in Capan has 'rought together many countries with a common intention of helping the victims. The challenges presented 'y todays porous world necessitates that we identify ourselves more as glo'al citi+ens rather than distinguish ourselves as citi+ens of a mere country. In fact, there is 'enefit in doing so in a world that is increasingly homogenous. %m'racing a glo'al citi+enship means greater mo'ility, and many people do value that in a world where skills and Eo's are increasingly mo'ile too. ,ith many growing up in such an environment, it is natural for them to go to the extent of thinking that preserving a national identity is redundant. Today, many have 'egun to realise that preserving a national identity is no longer important. In a world of multiple passports, glo'alisation and democracy, it 'egs the *uestion) is national identity truly important- ?ather than adopting the identity of the country we were 'orn in and that was thrust upon us, would it not 'e far 'etter to have our choice of elements from all over the world, and form our own identity- Some may see this as self.seeking 'ehaviour 'ut, whether or not it is so, the fact remains that the preservation of national identity is indeed a challenge in todays world.
Laura Chong Kai Xin 10S101

#eview
"he essay shows a good understanding of what national identity is with valid points brought up to address the point of contention. "he author shows a strong ability to e6press abstract concepts articulately.

Considering the ra$id rate o% change in the world& should we still hold on to traditions'
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oday, we are a generation of people weaned on the Internet, computers and all things digital. !s with every other generation 'efore us, we em'race the newest technology and scientific advancements of our time and with it the revolutionary possi'ilities and ways of thinking that would undou'tedly shock the elders of the particular generation. 4onsidering the 'reakneck speed at which we progress, why should we concern ourselves with things of the old like traditions that are handed down 'y practice or word of mouthIn my opinion, there is a more pressing need than ever 'efore to preserve and carry on traditions 'ecause it provides us with the comfort and solace as well as identity which we so sorely need and must esta'lish to continue surviving in this free.for.all we call society. ,e should still hold on to traditions 'ecause it offers us a sense of familiar and 'onds us closer to people who hold the same view or do the same things, who, more often than not, are our family. ,ithout these strong familial 'onds 'uilt when people preserve family traditions together, the individual 'ecomes more isolated and is faced with increasing mental and emotional strain that could 'e fatal in the long run. Gor example, 4hinas economic progress in the recent years spelt wonderful economic prospects for its people. The 'ooming economy meant 'etter and more *uality Eo' opportunities and with it the promise of a 'etter life. No wonder there has 'een an exodus of people moving from the rural areas to the ur'an cities to carve a niche for themselves. Qet, the dismal truth 'ehind this is that on the average of every two minutes, a 4hinese person takes his or her own life. ?esearchers have esta'lished that the main cause of the high suicide rates is depression and loneliness as a result of their physical and emotional distance from their loved ones which is ironic considering how the 4hinese culture places much emphasis on the family and has many traditions that the family unit carries out together and develops closer 'onds such as the 4hinese New Qear ?eunion (inner and 3id.!utumn Gestival. It is 'ecause people now prioriti+e personal success in their career much more than traditions that hold the family together that the *uality of relationships suffers as a result. The unpredicta'le nature of life and its challenges serve to highlight the importance of such traditions in 'ringing us closer to our families as a source of comfort, rather than discounting it as a mere ritual or practice that we can easily do without. ,e still need traditions to give us a sense of security and hope for the 'etter as far as religious reasons are concerned. %ver since the 'om'ing of New Qork ,orld Trade 4enter on Septem'er 77, terrorism has 'ecome a sad feature of the modern world. !s the world gets connected online, cy'er.terrorism has emerged and a new war on politics, ideology and religion is waged on us through our monitors. The Internet can 'ecome a fearsome tool of destruction in the hands of tech.savvy extremists, like Qemeni cleric !lawaki, who makes his rounds on Qoutu'e, with su'tle messages of radical Islam. Jnless we are a'le to hold on to the traditional or

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orthodox way of thinking in our respective religious teachings, our hearts and minds can 'e easily swayed 'y such persuasion. ?eligious traditions offer us a sense of spiritual peace and calm which I 'elieve we need more than ever in these increasingly trou'led times. The scores of Islamic 'elievers heading for Griday prayers and Sunday churchgoers or devotees of many other religions such as 1uddhism and /induism give us reason to 'elieve that religious traditions are a must to follow if we are to maintain the hope in divine intervention that our world will one day 'e in a 'etter position than it is today. !nother reason why we should still hold on to traditions is 'ecause of the identity it gives to us as a community or race and this can never 'e eroded even with the sands of time. The /akka have a special tradition at their funerals where a dragon is made from colored sand to guide the decease into the afterlife. The 3uslims make it a point to make the pilgrimage to 3ecca at least once in their lifetimes. The /indus cele'rate Thaipusam with ela'orate feats of wearing huge sharp metal appendages or walking on fire 'arefooted. The 4hristians make the season of 4hristmas Eolly and merry 'y singing carols and gift.giving. !s seen from the a'ove examples, each culture or religion has its own uni*ue traditions that set it apart. %very generation and individual has sought to find an identity it can truly call its own) the /ippies in the Sixties with their tie dye and peace signs versus the i#eneration today that is hooked up on all things !pple. 1ut we do not want to leave 'ehind a legacy simply consisting of our digital prowessX !nd as we retreat into social networking spaces and reduce our contact with people to disem'odied e.exchanges, it is the cele'ration of these traditions that 'ring us together in person for parties and gatherings as well as give us the chance to pass on these meaningful and 'eautiful traditions to the next generation for their 'enefit. Lf course, those who em'race all things new and a'andon whatever is not may argue that traditions hold us 'ack from progress as a human race. Since the time of the hunter.gatherer era to agrarian society, it has always 'een the traditional roles of men 'ringing home the 'acon and women tending the house. 1ut today, as more and more women hold similar or even higher positions than their male counterparts in the workforce, these roles are 'eing reversed and activists for gender e*uality applaud the positive change. ,hile this may 'e true, we cannot completely 'reak away from tradition even if we want to as we have grown so accustomed to it that it has 'ecome ingrained in our mind. In fact, studies have shown that high.powered career women feel more o'liged to do household chores even after a tiring day at work in order to make up for the supposedly 'ruised male ego of their spouses. /umans have a cognitive need to impose some kind of order on the ar'itrary events in life and in doing so, find it easier to adEust and settle down to this self.imposed order. Traditional practices and ways of thinking have 'een passed down from age to age without much resistance unless proven harmful 'ecause we have 'een conditioned to do so. %ven in our daily lives, most of us try to follow a routine that we are comforta'le with unless the circumstances really call for change. %ven if the world around us keep changing at a faster and faster pace, we cling to our traditional practices and thinking to help us adEust to the pace slowly. !dvocates of e*uality would still persist that some societal traditions deprive people of opportunities and therefore should 'e done away with. 3onarchies were dangerous 'reeding grounds for corruption and oppression as power was concentrated in the hands of few, and unless proven otherwise, this small group was likely to lead the people to ruin. This is the reason why democratic governments are elected 'y the people as they represent the choice of the people with regards to who is truly capa'le of running the country. Social institutions such as the Indian caste system trapped innocent people in a vicious cycle of discrimination and poverty 'ecause people could 'e persecuted simply due to 'eing 'orn in a family of !ari7ans or untoucha'les. It is unfair that the innocent should suffer such a fate 'ecause of old practices and traditions that cannot 'e continuously applied in the ever.changing glo'al context. 1ut I would like to point out that traditions, like laws, are set 'y men, for men. Simply put, it is a set of 'eliefs and practices we follow 'ecause of our elders teachings 'ut it can 'e rewritten or altered to suit modern day circumstances. ,e must have the flexi'ility to manage their differences and decide for ourselves what to follow 'ased on the merits it 'rings us and a'olish detrimental ones. (epressing though my assessment of our world today that the rapid change has 'rought us to, there is still room for optimism as long as we hold on to traditions which give us comfort, solace and identity to cope with the challenges ahead. ,hile holding on to these, we should also remain mindful and discerning that every tradition is different and there is no one.si+e.fits.all resolution to the matter. The onus is on us to 'e selective of the traditions we want to keep alive for our 'enefit and that of the future generations as well as to protect them from those that are potentially harmful 'ased on our own experience. =erhaps it is 'est that we hold on to traditions only to survive the harsh realities of life and recogni+e that there is only so much they can do for us and what is left is for us to determine the way we want to make a difference in the world through the lives we lead.
Dorothy Tan 09S417

#eview
"he writer should have paid closer attention to the condition inherent in the first half of the essay. !owever, there was a breadth of e6amples, and the ,ey ideas were conveyed very elo&uently, displaying the writers personal voice.

To what e(tent is cultural glo)alisation a good thing'

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ultural glo'alisation, in a nutshell, is the diffusion of various uni*ue cultures that exist in some regions of the world to all parts of the glo'e. This is made possi'le 'y advancements in transport and communication technology. ! 'y.product of this is the fact that many people on this %arth now adopt foreign cultures that were once inaccessi'le to them. Some have termed this as nothing other than another form of information imperialism. Lthers claim cultural glo'alisation is 'eneficial for many and welcome it with open arms. /owever, the truth of the matter is, despite the presence of several adverse effects stemming from cultural glo'alisation, the movement has, on the whole, 'enefited humanity in more ways than one. Girstly, some might argue against cultural glo'alisation on the grounds that it has destroyed or threatened the many other uni*ue cultures that are exclusive to different parts of the world. Qouths in !sia are increasingly adopting cultures that are exports from elsewhere, namely the ,estern world. Gor instance, a growing num'er of young adults in 4hina now prefer to live out a modern lifestyle and a'ide 'y contemporary ideals like marrying late and staying career oriented. #one are the days where having many children was a source of pride or where it was an o'ligation to care for your elderly parents and lodge them in your house. ,orse still, it is not Eust 4hina that has 'een affected. 3any nations, ranging from South Dorea to %thiopia, are now victims of this condition. Indeed, one can o'serve that the world is increasingly having a homogenous culture and living the same way. %ven rural %thiopia, as mentioned a'ove, is not spared. 3any tri'es that once lived in isolation amongst the rugged highlands of the countrys interior are increasingly exposed to modern ideals and this has inevita'le eroded the various ethnic tri'al cultures that were dominant. Now, young men prefer to seek an education and attain employment in the capital city of !ddis !'a'a rather than tend to cattle herds or farms like their ancestors 'efore them once did. !nd it is in the rapidly expanding capital of %thiopia where they would 'e further exposed to other glo'al cultures and more often than not, forsake the tri'al culture they once lived 'y. /ence, *uite literally, an %thiopian could 'e living the same life as an average citi+en in 4hina, consuming ,estern fast food, working in an office and a'iding 'y relatively modern ideals. If that is so, what differentiates one nation from the other- The cultures of the world would slowly vanish in such a scenario. %ventually, countries would lose their intrinsic value and appeal and risk 'ecoming an unremarka'le duplicate of each other. /owever, this does not necessarily have to 'e the case. !fter all, even with the onset of cultural glo'alisation, many uni*ue cultures worldwide still exist and are safeguarded. In fact, glo'alisation has helped to spread such cultures across the planet, hence actually 'enefiting them rather than harming them. Gor proof of this, look no further than the average modern city, where one can find restaurants and shops selling products that are the staple of other cultures. In New Qork alone, a consumer could find restaurants selling Capanese, Turkish or even ?ussian cuisine, Eust to name a few. If anything, one misconception everyone has is that cultural glo'alisation e*uates to ,esternisation. This need not always hold true. This is exemplified 'y the fact that 4hinese 4onfucian ideals are rapidly finding popularity in the ,est. %ven the practice of Qoga which has its roots in India is making its way ,est. !ll this is made possi'le thanks to cultural glo'alisation. In this sense, it can 'e reasoned that rather than leading to extinction of cultures, glo'alisation acts as a platform for the cultures of the world to 'e dispersed and to thrive. Gurthermore, another 'enefit cultural glo'alisation 'rings is that it spreads li'eral ideas and lifestyles; replacing traditional and archaic ones in its wake. Gor instance, organised marriages, once a cultural norm in India, is 'eginning to give way to marriage 'y choice. This has vastly empowered the women of India, as it has endowed them with a freedom of choice to choose their life partners and to decide how they should lead their lives. !rranged marriages also, have proven to 'e largely detrimental in the sense that it trod on the rights of women 'y forcing them to marry someone whom they do not like. 4ase in point; statistically speaking, wife a'use is >A: more prevalent in arranged marriages as compared to marriages 'y choice. /ence it is considered a merit that cultural glo'alisation has replaced antediluvian ideals like arranged marriages. !lso, as mentioned a'ove, it has even improved the lives of many. /owever, in per contra, cultural glo'alisation does not always necessarily export ideals and lifestyles that are 'eneficial. (ue to cultural glo'alisation, many lifestyle choices like smoking, promiscuity and drug a'use have 'een dispersed to all four corners of the glo'e. 3any youths, influenced 'y what they watch on foreign media and other external stimulus, have picked up such socially deviant ha'its as well. Gor example, under (eng Yiao =ings economic reform of 4hina in the early <6s, it also inadvertently led to the spread of such ha'its. !s a result, the concomitant rise in drug a'use and smoking in 4hina is attri'uted to the opening up of ones doors to the world. In evaluation, cultural glo'alisation can also have negative implications on society. Still, for 'etter or for worse, it is foolish to resist such winds of change. !s Tony 1lair once *uoted, Sglo'alisation is irresisti'le and irreversi'leT. 1y opening up ones economy to the world, an inevita'le fact is that cultures and ideals from around the world will seep into your nation and influence the populations thinking in more ways than one. /owever, isnt this normal- !fter all, culture is nothing 'ut a human construct and thus, it will never remain static. Thus, cultural glo'alisation is not some new.fangled phenomena 'ut rather, it has 'een ongoing ever since the dawn of human civilisation. ,henever merchants travel to some other distant nation to trade, they involuntarily export their ideals and 'eliefs too. Gor instance, culture in the ?oman %mpire was very much influenced 'y the /ellenistic culture that existed in #reece, and this happened due to trade links and marriages that existed 'etween the then ?oman ?epu'lic and #reek city.states like !thens or !rgos. Gurthermore, #reek philosophies and military organisation 'enefited the ?oman %mpire greatly and catapulted it to 'ecoming one of the most powerful and largest empires that once existed. Thus, history has proven that sometimes, a fresh change in culture is not only the norm, 'ut also 'eneficial.

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Ginally, cultural glo'alisation has also united the world like never 'efore. (ue to the fact that many people around the world can now converse in common languages like %nglish or 3andarin, this has facilitated economic exchange. It also strengthened relations 'etween countries due to a greater degree of interaction 'etween these nations, made possi'le 'y a common tongue. !lso, with so many now adopting similar lifestyles, this has made it easier for people of different 'ackgrounds and nationalities to relate to each other and as a result, has fostered stronger ties 'etween countries due to such friendlier interactions. This can also 'etter preserve world peace as with cordial relationships and greater economic integration, countries are less likely to wage wars on each other. In conclusion, cultural glo'alisation has 'een largely 'eneficial given the many improvements and positive impacts it has on a nation. Gurthermore, it is an ongoing and normal process that has existed since anti*uity. To stop it would 'e going against the natural order of things. (espite the several negative implications cultural glo'alisation may have, in the grand scheme of human civilisation, it is, ultimately, an indispensa'le movement that promotes development and peace.
Tng Yue Hao Gabriel 09A201

#eview
"he arguments given are sensible and the essay is overall very well-constructed. "he language used is fluent and conveys ideas succinctly.

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Essay Auesti,ns
................................................................................................................................................................................
A LE*EL A#E$TION$ ON%
*dentity 1. S(ould a love of ones *ountry still +e en*ouraged? (2""# / $%& Culture 2. How i)portant is it for people in your so*iety to retain a sense of tradition? (2"1" / $1"& 5. -ssess t(e i)pa*t of foreign fil)s or foreign '6 progra))es on t(e *ulture of your so*iety. (2""# / $#& %. Can a +elief in t(e supernatural +e sustained in our )odern world? (2""3 / $2& .. ,o )yt(s and legends still (ave a role to play in Singapore? (2""7 / $1"& +rts 7. 8nly )odern ar*(ite*ture and )odern art (ave a pla*e in todays world. How true is t(is of your so*iety? (2"11 / $1"& 3. 9ould it )atter if all t(e perfor)ing arts venues in your so*iety, su*( as *on*ert (alls and t(eatres, were *losed down? (2"1" / $ 5& :. '(e arts *annot *(ange t(e world +ut t(ey )a;e it )ore +eautiful. ,is*uss t(is view wit( referen*e to one of t(e following< painting, s*ulpture or )usi*. (2""3 / $5& #. ,o t(e arts, su*( as )usi* and literature, really play a signifi*ant role in Singaporean so*iety? (2"". / $%& 1". Conte)porary )usi* (as no artisti* value. Is t(is a fair *o))ent? (2"": / $1"& 11. - wor; of art *an never +e valued in =ust finan*ial ter)s. ,is*uss.(2""2 / $12& 12. 'o w(at e1tent is design i)portant in your so*iety? (2"": /$12& 15. >as(ion is as )u*( a good t(ing as a +ad t(ing.? 'o w(at e1tent do you agree? (2""# / $11&

P2 A#E$TION$ F&O) OT!E& COLLE E A$$E$$)ENT$ ON%

*dentity 1. 0ational pride is an outdated notion. ,is*uss. (' JCJC2 !":$2& 2. Is t(e *ost of developing a national identity too (ig(? (-JCJC2 !":$.& 5. Consider w(at would +e needed to +uild a unified nation. ( JCJC1 !1"$7& %. Is t(e *on*ept of national *(ara*ter still )eaningful in todays world? (6JCJ24@!1"$1& .. -re )onu)ents and )e)orials a waste of a *ountrys +udget? ( JCJ2 !1"$#& 7. Alo+alisation (as rendered t(e *on*epts of nationalis) and patriotis) o+solete. ,is*uss. .7 B- diverse so*iety is +etter t(an a (o)ogeneous one.B ,is*uss. (0@JCJ2 !11$.& :. 0ational identity is of little relevan*e in todays world. ,o you agree? (4JCJC2 !"3$:&

(-CJCJ2 !1"$11&

Identity/$inga.,reBY,ur $,8iety3
#. 1". 11. 12. 15. 1%. 1.. 17. 13. 1:. 1#. CSingapore is a *opy*at so*iety, la*;ing *reativity and originality.? Is t(is a fair *o))ent? (-JCJC2 !"#$2& Consider t(e *lai) t(at (eartware, not (ardware, is *riti*al for Singapore to progress. (6JCJC14@!"3$5& Consider t(e effe*ts of your *ountryBs )ove to esta+lis( a )ore *os)opolitan environ)ent. (JJCJC24@!"3$2& How a**urate is t(e use of t(e des*ription, DniEuely Singapore? (,HSJC2 !":$11& Instead of developing its identity, Singapore is gradually losing it. How far do you agree? (HCIJC2 !"#$%& '(e Singapore identity is )erely a *on*ept )ade up +y t(e govern)ent. ,is*uss. (JJCJC2 !"#$1"& C-re we a nation yet? I would not say we are.? (44 Fee, 2""#& ,o you agree t(at Singapore is truly a nation? Consider t(e effe*ts of your *ountrys )ove to esta+lis( a )ore vi+rant so*iety. ( JCJC2 !"#$.& Is Singapore a good pla*e to *all (o)e? (JJCJC1 !1"$3& 'o w(at e1tent is your *ountry losing its identity +e*ause of glo+alisation? (4IJC14@!1"$:& How desira+le is a sense of (istory in your so*iety? (CJCJ24@!1"$2&

(CJCJC2 !"#$7&

2.

2". (27 22. 25. 2%.

Five our drea)s, fly our flag. 9(at would your drea) Singapore +e li;e? 9(at signifi*ant *(anges would +e needed to )a;e your drea) *o)e true? (HCIJ2 !1"$3& 0ational identity (as +e*o)e irrelevant in todayBs world. ,is*uss wit( referen*e to your so*iety. (0@JCJ2 !11$23& C'(e (eart *annot +e taug(t w(ere its (o)e is.? How effe*tive are your govern)ents efforts in *reating a sense of rootedness a)ong Singaporean yout(s? (S-JCJC2 !":$3& 9ould you *onsider Singapore su**essful in instilling in (er people a sense of +elonging? (IJCJC1S'"3$3& How far s(ould Singapore e)p(asise +uilding a national identity in (er aspiration to +e*o)e a glo+al *ity? (' JCJ24@!1"$12&

Culture
2.. 27. 23. 2:. 2#. 5". 51. 52. 55. 5%. 5.. 57. 53. 5:. 5#. %". Cities are losing t(eir distin*tive *ultural flavour. Is t(is ne*essarily +ad? (CJCJC2 !"3$2& It is definitely )ore advantageous to +e a diverse so*iety t(an a (o)ogeneous one. ,is*uss. (6JCJC2 !":$1"& '(ere is only one *ulture in t(e world today / -)eri*an *ulture. How far is t(is true? (4I D54@!":$1& ,oes tradition still (ave a role to play in )odern so*iety? (4JCJC2 !"3$.& Is it possi+le to preserve tradition and *ulture in t(is in*reasingly +orderless world? (S2JCJC2 !":$12& Is t(ere still a pla*e for traditions in todays world? (4JCJC1 !1"$5& Considering t(e rapid rate of *(ange in t(e world, s(ould we still (old on to traditions? (4JCJ2 !1"$11& How i)portant are our *ultural roots today? (,HSJC2 !":$5& In )ultiGra*ial so*ieties, s(ould national unity +e a*(ieved at t(e e1pense of *ultural diversity? (' JCJC2C'"3$3& Is *ultural diversity )ore a +oon t(an a +ane for so*ieties today? (0@JCJC2 !"#$5& '(ere is no pla*e for superstition in a )odern so*iety. 9(at do you t(in;? (@CJC2 !"#$2& 'o w(at e1tent is a (o)ogeneous world *ulture desira+le? ('JCJC2 !"3$7& opular *ulture is as )u*( a good t(ing as a +ad t(ing. 'o w(at e1tent do you agree? (4IJC14@!1"$3& Is t(ere any value in popular *ulture? ( JCJ2 !1"$:& Consider t(e view t(at popular *ulture t(rives on t(e trivial. (2IJCJC1 !11$5& '(ere is no +etter ti)e t(an now to preserve a nations *ulture and (eritage. ,o you agree? (' JCJ2 !1"$11&

Culture /$inga.,reBY,ur $,8iety3

%1. %2. %5. %%. %.. %7. %3. *=7 - nations true wealt( is )easured +y t(e *ultural ri*(ness of its people. -t t(e )o)ent, (ow wealt(y are t(e people of your *ountry in t(is respe*t? How *ould t(ey +e )ade ri*(er? (HCIJC2 !":$1& C'raditions (ave little pla*e in todays so*iety.? 'o w(at e1tent is t(is true in your *ountry? ( JCJC14@!"3$7& How far (as t(e govern)entBs introdu*tion of t(e use of t(e !nglis( language i)pa*ted life and *ulture in Singapore?
( JCJC24@!":$5&

Is it ne*essary for Singapore to preserve all of (er *ultural (eritage? (4JCJC1 !"3$:& 'o w(at e1tent is tradition i)portant for Singapore to progress? (,HSJ24@!1"$:& ,o traditions still (ave a pla*e in )odern Singapore? (0@JCJ2 !1"$7& 'o w(at e1tent (as Singapore evolved a distin*t *ulture? (2IJCJC1 !11$:& Is *ultural *(ange in your *ountry a sour*e of opti)is) or pessi)is)? (26HSJ2 !11$,&

The Arts
%#. .". .1. .2. .5. .%. ... .7. .3. .:. .#. 7". 71. 72. 75. 7%. 7.. 77. - little re+ellion now and t(en is a good t(ing. ,is*uss wit( referen*e to t(e arts. (2JCJC2 !":$11& -rt is an individualisti* e1pression. How far do you agree wit( t(is state)ent? (-JCJC2 !":$11& Fiterature, dra)a and art all a)ount to )a;ing so)et(ing out of not(ing. Is t(is a fair assess)ent of t(e arts? (-CJCJC2 !"#$1"& 4odern -rt< - produ*t of t(e untalented, sold +y t(e unprin*ipled to t(e utterly +ewildered. (Ca)us& Co))ent. (HCIJC2 !"#$12& '(e +eauty of t(e arts lies in it not needing a reason to e1ist. ,o you agree wit( t(e state)ent? (S-JCJC2H'"3$2& '(e role of t(e arts s(ould not +e to s(o*; +ut to (u)anise our world. ,is*uss. (2JCJC2C'":$%& '(e value a so*iety pla*es on t(e -rts indi*ates (ow developed it is. 'o w(at e1tent is t(is true? (-CJCJC2 !"3$.& '(ere is no pla*e for t(e -rts in todays te*(nologi*al so*iety. ,is*uss. (0@JCJC2 !"#$7& It is s*ien*e, not art, t(at e1presses our drea)s. Co))ent. (,HSJC2 !"#$#& C>reedo) is t(e +ane of t(e artisti* *o))unity.? ,o you agree? (6JCJC2 !"3$1"& 4odern life is not *ondu*ive for t(e develop)ent of artisti* appre*iation. ,o you agree? (IJCJC2 !1":$5& -rt s(ould never +e e1a)ined, only appre*iated. ,o you agree? (6JCJC2 !":$7& -ssess t(e value of t(e arts to a developed *ountry. (6JCJC14@!"3$12& Can art and te*(nology truly *o)ple)ent ea*( ot(er? (0JCJC2 !":$:& ,is*uss t(e value of a vi+rant arts s*ene to a world *lass *ity. (' JCJC2 !":$12& !1a)ine t(e *lai) t(at art s(ould +e a**essi+le to all. (S-JCJC2 !":$:& How i)portant is t(e arts in an in*reasingly )aterialisti* world? (4JCJC24@!"3$11& Is art anyt(ing )ore t(an a pleasura+le pasti)e? (HCIJC2 !"3$12& Is it possi+le to (ave art for arts sa;e w(en *o))er*ial interests drive so*iety? (@JCJC2 !":$11& Is t(ere really a need for artisti* e1pression to +e regulated? (CJCJC2 !"3$11& S(ould any li)its +e set on artisti* e1pression? (HCIJC2 !":$1"& Studying t(e arts is a waste of ti)e. ,is*uss. (0@JCJC2 !"3$3& '(e -rts are only for t(e ri*(. Co))ent. (6JCJC2C'":$12& '(e arts pro)ises far )ore t(an it *an deliver. How true is t(is state)ent? (4I D5 !":$1"& '(ere (as never +een a greater need for t(e arts as now. Co))ent. (0JCJC2C'"3$1"& 'o w(at e1tent do t(e arts (ave a pla*e in your so*iety? ('JCJC1C'"3$3& 'o w(at e1tent (ave t(e -rts +e*o)e anot(er *o))er*ial entity in todayBs glo+al e*ono)y? (JJCJC2 !":$2& 'o w(at e1tent s(ould art +e a so*ial *o))entary? (' JCJ2C'"3$#& 9(i*( is )ore i)portant for t(e wellG+eing of todays world / t(e arts or t(e s*ien*es? (CJCJC1 !1"$:& (also in Science) C-s a visual art, t(e pri)ary purpose of painting is to +e de*orative.? ,o you agree? (HCIJC1 !1"$12& S(ould e*ono)i* gain +e t(e )ain purpose for developing t(e arts? (4JCJC1 !1"$2& -rt is only for t(e elite. Is t(is a fair *o))ent? (0@JCJC1 !1"$:& -ssess t(e view t(at t(e appre*iation of t(e arts is only for t(e ri*(. ( JCJC1 !1"$12& C'(e +asi* purpose of art is not to tea*(, +ut to s(ow.? ,is*uss. (26HSJC14@!1"$12& Can spending on t(e arts ever +e =ustified w(en it (as little pra*ti*al use? (' JCJ24@!1"$#& Is a sound ;nowledge of t(e arts essential for a wellGedu*ated person in todays world? (6JCJ24@!1"$1"&

,.7
7:. 7#. 3". 31. 32. 35. 3%. 3.. 37. 33. 3:. 3#. :". :1. :2. :5. :%.

2=

:.. :7. :3. ::. :#. #". #1. #2. #5. #%. #.. #7. #3. #:. ##. 1"". 1"1. 1"2. 23)7 23*7 23+7 23,7

-**ount for t(e de*reasing popularity of t(e perfor)ing arts (live t(eatre, )usi* and dan*e& in )odern so*iety. S(ould t(eir de*line +e a *ause for *on*ern? (HCIJ24@!1"$12& -rt is only for t(e affluent. 'o w(at e1tent do you agree? (4JCJ24@!1"$1& opular *ulture (as devalued t(e )eaning of art. How far do you agree? (S-JCJ24@!1"$2& ,o you agree t(at today t(e -rts are )ore a+out for) t(an fun*tion? (-CJCJ2 !1"$7& -re so)e wor;s of art )ore )eaningful t(an ot(ers? (-JCJ2 !1"$12& How far *an t(e -rts +ridge differen*es? (26HSJ1 !11$1"& C-rt s(ould not offend.? 'o w(at e1tent do you agree wit( t(is state)ent? (CJCJ2 !1"$1"& 9(at distinguis(es a truly great wor; of art fro) a )erely average one? (HCIJ2 !1"$12& -rtists s(ould (ave total freedo) of e1pression. How far do you agree? (IJCJ2 !1"$1"& S(ould t(ere still +e li)its on artisti* e1pression? (JJCJ2 !1"$3& '(e arts today (ave +een e1ploited for *o))er*ial ends. ,is*uss. (26HSJ2 !1"$5& Consider t(e view t(at artists *an only *ontri+ute to so*iety if t(ey are given full freedo). ('JCJ2 !1"$3& How far is t(e artist essential in *ontri+uting to t(e develop)ent of so*iety? (6JCJ2 !1"$1"& Is selfGe1pression t(e pri)ary purpose of art in todays world? (CJCJ2 !11$7& '(e -rts (ave t(e power to influen*e per*eption, opinion and values. Can t(e -rts really +e so powerful? (,HSJ2 !11$5& !1plore t(e view t(at art and s*ien*e (ave )u*( )ore in *o))on t(an )ost people i)agine. (HCIJ2 !11$#& It ta;es )ore t(an talent to +e su**essful in t(e arts s*ene today. ,o you agree? (IJCJ2 !11$7& -ppre*iation of t(e arts is only relevant to t(e affluent. Co))ent. (JJCJ2 !11$2& Is it ne*essary for a *ountry to invest in its artists? (0@JCJ2 !11$=& '(e arts are essential to a nations progress. ,o you agree? ( JCJ2 !11$22& -rt is II s*ien*e is we. (Claude Hernard& 9(i*( (as done )ore to unify so*ieties, s*ien*e or art? (26HSJ2 !11$)& ,o you agree t(at t(e arts allow us to understand t(e world +etter? (S-JCJ2 !11$,&

The Arts /$inga.,reBY,ur $,8iety3

1"3. 1":. 1"#. 11". 111. 112. 115. 11%. 11.. 117. 113. 11:. 11#. 12". 121. 122. 125. 12%. 12.. 127. 123. 2(=7 2(07 !n=oya+le, +ut ulti)ately of little pra*ti*al use. Consider t(e value of t(e perfor)ing arts in Singapore today in t(e lig(t of t(is *o))ent. ( JCJC24@!"3$:& oetry )a;es not(ing (appen (9.H -uden&. 'o w(at e1tent *an t(e arts +ring a+out *(ange in your so*iety? (-CJCJC2 !":$5& 9(ilst t(e -rts )ay +e en=oya+le, it is of little pra*ti*al use. 'o w(at e1tent is t(is true in Singapore? (S2JCJC2 !"#$12& C'(e -rts (ave little value in Singapores prag)ati* so*iety.? ,o you agree? (' JCJC2 !"#$11& ,o art and *ulture play a signifi*ant role in t(e daily lives of people in Singapore? (0JCJC2 !"#$#& Is it ne*essary for Singapore to invest in its artists? (@JCJC2H'"3$.& Is t(ere a real need to *ultivate a love for t(e arts in your so*iety? (CJCJC2 !":$11& 4ore needs to +e done in Singapore to pro)ote interest in t(e -rts. Co))ent. (0JCJC1C'"3$2& 'o w(at e1tent is t(e -rts i)portant for Singapore to progress? (S2JCJC24@!":$%& 'o w(at e1tent s(ould t(e -rts +e funded +y t(e state? 2efer spe*ifi*ally to your so*iety. (' JCJC2 !"3$12& 9(at role *an an artist play in t(e life of a nation? -nswer wit( referen*e to your *ountry. (6JCJC2C'"3$:& Fife is (ard as an artist. Is it really so diffi*ult to pursue a *areer in t(e arts in Singapore? (JJCJC1 !1"$11& 4any developed *ountries are paying in*reasing attention to t(e arts in t(eir so*iety. How far is t(is true of Singapore?
(,HSJ2 !1"$12&

How su**essful (as your *ountry +een in pro)oting t(e arts? (0JCJ2 !1"$1"& 'o w(at e1tent (ave t(e -rts in Singapore +e*o)e *o))er*ialised? (0@JCJ2 !1"$%& ,o you agree t(at t(ere is too )u*( *ontrol over t(e arts s*ene in Singapore? (S-JCJ2 !1"$.& S(ould )ore +e done to develop t(e arts in your so*iety? (4JCJC14@!11$11& How relevant is t(e -rts s*ene to t(e people in your *ountry? (6JCJC14@!11$1"& !1a)ine t(e value of t(e arts in your so*iety. (4I D24@!11$5& 'o w(at e1tent are t(e aest(eti*s *ele+rated in your so*iety? (JJCJC14@!11$12& '(e arts are en=oya+le, +ut not pra*ti*al. ,is*uss t(is in relation to your so*iety. ('JCJC14@!11$11& '(e -rts is only for t(e ri*(. How far is t(is true of your so*iety? (S2JCJ2 !11$,& How far does t(e arts s*ene preserve t(e *ulture and traditions of your so*iety? (@JCJ2 !11$+&

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