Congratulations to NAFA graduands of 2024!

Speech by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, & Second Minister for Law, at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Convocation on 3 October 2024

1. Thank you for inviting me back to the NAFA Convocation for this year. 
2. The last time I was at the Convocation was during the Pandemic and we had to do it on Zoom so I could only see the graduates in the small little box on my screen. I’m not sure that if it was the same vibe and feeling as we have today but today is the start of a very important new beginning.
3. Just as today is a celebration for our graduates, it is equally a celebration for the people who have journeyed together with all the graduands. Let us take a moment to thank your family, teachers, friends and everyone who have supported you on this important journey that has brought you to where you are today.
   
   

   NAFA and its Alumni 

4. NAFA has had a long history; 86 years to be precise.  It has been a beacon of creativity and innovation, evolving with the times and needs of the arts sector and communities.
   
   1. NAFA is a founding member and constituent college of Singapore’s first arts university, the University of the Arts Singapore, with a suite of degree and postgraduate programmes.
   2. This is further augmented by a Centre for Lifelong Education, which offers upskilling programmes for our arts and creative professionals to stay plugged in and remain relevant to today’s times.
   3. It is also a Centre to encourage adult learners to enjoy artmaking.
5. This year, 777  graduands will join the ranks of a distinguished NAFA alumni of more than 19,000 strong, and who have made their mark on both the local and international arts scenes.
   1. Amongst these alumni, we count 13 Cultural Medallion and 15 Young Artist Award recipients, demonstrating the exceptional calibre and influence of the NAFA alumni.
   2. I am sure many amongst you today will follow in these footsteps and strive to attain the heights that your predecessors had in your arts and creative journey.
   
   

   Towards a Creative Economy

6. At the Committee of Supply Debate earlier in March this year, I spoke about the vital collaboration amongst MCCY, NAC, MOE and UAS to ensure good opportunities and evolving pipeline for our arts graduates. This is aligned with Our SG Arts Plan to develop a creative economy.
7. Singapore’s artistic ambitions have grown. We’ve also evolved with maturity and we are committed to growing artistic excellence and supporting development pathways which are necessary for viable careers to be undertaken in the arts.
   
   1. In September 2023, NAC and SkillsFuture Singapore launched the Skills Framework for the Arts.
   2. This framework identifies career pathways, key roles in the arts, and training programmes for arts practitioners like you. This is so that you can make informed decisions about career choices, know what the landscape is all about, and know what path you want to embark on.  
   3. More importantly, the framework serves as an affirmation that a lifelong career in the arts can be planned for, worked on, and achieved, providing a foundation for your professional journey
8. In the years to come, the Government will continue to seek out new avenues to empower you, our arts practitioners, to take charge of your careers and incorporate lifelong learning into your practice, so that you can be in the arts economy for life and evolve over time to keep in tandem with the growth of society.   
9. To further support the growth of our arts and creative economy, we will continue to expand and support internationalisation opportunities for artists like yourselves.
   
   1. We know the importance of giving our artists international exposure. Singapore has tremendous talent, but what we need to do is to expose it, showcase them and give them a platform on the international stage. 
   2. We know that exposure to global practices, trends and establishing international networks is essential for your professional growth and artistic development, and NAC has consistently created internationalisation opportunities for our own homegrown artists. 
   3. Through initiatives that facilitate participation in prestigious events like the Venice Biennale, Frieze Seoul, Asia Now, and the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair as some examples, we have laid the path for our artists to showcase their work to new and international audiences. 
10.  I am sure many of you have had the opportunity to travel abroad to learn and to perform and showcase your work during your years in NAFA.
    
    1. For example, Michelle from the Bachelor of Music (Honours) programme, had the opportunity for an international placement to the Royal College of Music in the UK, where she received various opportunities to perform and to hone her skills even more. 
    2. Michelle’s talent has also been recognised at international platforms, including the 2024 Asia International Piano Festival & Competition in Seoul, South Korea where she received the Gold Prize Award.
    3. Today, she is graduating as the Best Graduate from her programme. 
11. It is my wish that all of you, as the next wave of creative talents, will continue to seize opportunities that will come your way. Break through barriers, push the envelope on boundaries, and seek new horizons in your creative pursuits,
    1. At the same time, show the world what Singapore is made of. Showcase the vibrancy of Singapore’s arts sector on the international stage.
    
    

    Building A Connected Society 

12. I encourage you, having benefited from the guidance of others, to consider how your unique skills can bring communities together – especially important in today’s increasingly difficult, tense and fragmented world. 
    
    1. Your creativity can foster understanding, build bridges and create avenues and platforms for very important dialogues
    2. This ensures a connected society where community bonds are bolstered through shared experiences in and through the arts. 
    3. In short, you have the ability to make very important contributions and make social impact through the arts.
13. This year, the NAC, People’s Association (PA), and the five Community Development Councils (CDCs) collaborated to launch ArtsEverywhere@CDC. 
    
    1. This monthly initiative brings arts experiences to where communities live, work and play. Not just in the galleries and the concert halls but right into the community in the heartlands where people see art every day. 
14. On this note, I would like to acknowledge Diamond Nabilah Misson from the Diploma in Fine Art programme. 
15. During her time at NAFA, Diamond leveraged art to initiate conversations and promote change on social issues.  
    
    1. This year, her artwork was exhibited in the Odyssey of Motherhood exhibition, where very important conversations emerged about the need for greater empathy in the community towards mothers.
16. Diamond’s contributions to building a caring and connected society have not gone unnoticed. 
    1. She will be graduating as Best Graduate for her programme and has also been conferred the NAFA President Award for Diploma. Congratulations, Diamond!
    
    

    NAFA’s Mantra - “Courage to Create”

17. The arts, which was once considered a niche field, has blossomed into a vibrant landscape. It’s much better today than we were 10 years ago and I’m sure it will be better 10 years from now. It is brimming with possibilities that perhaps were previously unimaginable or were not viable. 
    
    1. Today, the demand for creativity and innovation is not just in the arts. It has surged across various industries.
    2. This means that your skillsets and the arts can no longer be confined to traditional roles.
    3. Instead, the arts permeate into other sectors like education, marketing, technology, and even wellness, offering a wide range of career opportunities and jobs.
18. Taking inspiration from NAFA’s empowering mantra “Courage to Create”, I encourage each of you to be bold in the pursuit of your dreams in the face of this extraordinary shift. 
19. Just as we were walking in, I was reminiscing that maybe 30-40 years ago at the time I was graduating, the opportunities were a lot more limited, a lot more defined, a lot more fixed and perhaps more conventional. 
    
    1. Today, there are no longer limitations. The landscape has changed and evolving constantly, and the lifespan of your career path is much longer as well.
    2. So lifelong learning, opportunities to evolve and change with the times - all of that are well within your grasp.   
20. On this point, let me acknowledge Zhuang Chuhang from the Diploma in Theatre (Mandarin Drama) programme who has boldly taken on various roles to develop his skillsets. 
21.  I am very happy to share that Chuhang recently received the NAC-UAS Arts Scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Contemporary Chinese Theatres. 
    With this, he is now part of the first batch, the inaugural batch, of students of the UAS. 
22. My warmest congratulations to Chuhang on receiving the scholarship and for also being the Best Graduate from the Diploma in Theatre (Mandarin Drama) programme! 
23. These are but several examples from the graduating cohort. There are many more in the cohort. If I mention all of you, it will take till tomorrow, which won’t work. But I want each of you to know that you are unique and special in your own ways, bringing your skillsets to bear and you have the ability to create ripples and make a big impact on society. And you must not lose that opportunity.
    
    

    Inspiring Others and Creating Opportunities

24. Before concluding, I would like to highlight two other exceptional individuals today. Both bear testament to NAFA’s enduring commitment to developing talents across generations of artists.  
    
    1. I want to warmly congratulate Dr Ho Kah Leong and Dr Lim Kian Siong Darius – the recipients of this year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards. 
25. Dr Ho is no stranger to the arts scene. In fact, he’s no stranger to any scene in Singapore. He’s an active artist and arts educator. 
26. Dr Ho studied at NAFA in the mid-1950s. He went on to have an impressive, significant and very impactful career, serving Singapore in various capacities from 1966 to 1997 in the Public Service and in the Government. 
27. Then from 1997 to 2003, he served as Principal of NAFA. 
28. At the age of 87, he continues to provide invaluable guidance, mentorship and teaching for the further advancement of Singapore’s art scene, 
    
    1. through his role as Honorary Adviser to both the Singapore Arts Federation and the Singapore Art Society. 
29. I was privileged to be at Dr Ho’s exhibition. And I can say that in his exhibition of works, he demonstrates a tremendous passion and gusto. He’s very passionate about the arts in Singapore and very optimistic about what the younger generation of artists can do, contribute to the arts, and to improve Singapore’s artistic excellence. 
30. Our second recipient, Dr Lim, is an internationally published composer and award-winning conductor who graduated from NAFA’s School of Music in 2009. 
31. Dr Lim is today one of the most sought-after Singaporean choral composer-conductors today. His most popular work, The Fire Dance of Luna, has been sung by over 50,000 singers.
32. This year, he led a 250-strong inclusive Choir at the National Day Parade. And I remember Darius was instrumental in keeping all of us connected through his efforts during Covid. I think we all benefited from what he did, keeping us sane, keeping us connected and allowing us to find solace in the arts through the work he did for us during Covid.
33. Both Dr Ho and Dr Lim are decorated changemakers who have not only enriched our artistic community but have also taken care to think about what we need to bring us forward, what the path ahead looks like and always thinking about the next generation. Thank you very much, Dr Ho and Dr Lim.
    
    

    Closing

34. Finally, let me end with a short message to our graduands. When I look at the range of graduands today, I can’t help but feel that there is such a depth of talent in all of you and in such diverse skills. It is very important that you continue on this path that you started.
    
    1. As they say, today is always the start of the rest of your life. And today is the opportunity for you to marshal all that you’ve learnt and look to the next step. 
    2. There’s a lot to be proud of, and as you graduate, I want you to know that you will be joining a long list of luminaries and very important arts practitioners from the NAFA alumni.  
35. To the young hopefuls standing on the cusp of your future, I encourage you to look to your seniors for inspiration and ideas on what lies ahead for you. 
    
    1. They can offer you valuable insights from their journeys. They can be your lifelong teachers and mentors as Dr Ho has demonstrated.
36. Remember that you are stepping into a world brimming with change and unprecedented opportunities. 
    
    1. The skills you’ve honed and more importantly, the passion you have with your skills will lead to diverse and fulfilling careers. Stay the course. 
    2. Whether it’s in creating works, performing, arts education, or beyond, I encourage you to have the courage and the ability to push boundaries to create. 
    3. There will be uncertainty and as you graduate you probably think that I’m now stepping into a world that is unknown, unclear, unchartered, uncertain. But I’ll say to you to embrace the uncertainty of your creative journey. Because it’s in the unknown and perhaps in the moments of adversity and challenge that the greatest masterpieces can be born.  
    4. Let passion be your guide. And courage, your constant companion. Chart new paths, explore new frontiers, break new boundaries and showcase Singapore on the international stage. 
37. We are very proud of you. Congratulations once again and may your paths be bright and boundless!