Retraction of Art Grant Monies

Debated in Parliament on 13 Jul 2015.

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Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin asked how NAC mitigates costs for grant recipients whose approved grants are retracted, whether they should be discharged from returning funds, and how NAC ensures its grant process remains non-partisan and objective.
Lawrence Wong explained that NAC, as a public agency, follows government policies to safeguard national interests and can withdraw grants if funding agreements are breached, with rare recoveries of disbursed public monies.
He noted that artists or groups may still receive other forms of NAC support like arts housing or professional development, cushioning the impact of a specific grant withdrawal.
To ensure impartiality, NAC involves external assessors and uses published criteria such as artistic merit, public engagement, and applicant capacity in grant evaluations.
The responses clarify that while grant withdrawal is rare, NAC has clear procedures to recover funds if needed and maintains an objective assessment process.

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Full Transcript

Kuik Shiao-Yin

Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) how the National Arts Council (NAC) mitigates the costs placed on NAC grant recipients who have already spent grant monies carrying out their approved projects and who subsequently have their grant support retracted; (b) whether such grant recipients should be discharged from any requirements to return granted funds that have already been approved; and (c) what measures does the NAC take to ensure that the grant consideration and approval process is kept non-partisan and objective.

Lawrence Wong

As a public agency disbursing public funds, NAC is guided by Government policies that safeguard national interests. Its funding guidelines are made public on the NAC’s website and are made clear in the grant funding agreement signed between NAC and grant recipients.

NAC reserves the right to withdraw the grant if the project does not fulfil the funding agreement or contravenes the funding guidelines. Withdrawing grants rarely happens as most parties abide by the agreements they have made. However, if there is a breach of the funding agreement, as a public institution, NAC has the responsibility to recover any public monies that have been disbursed.

Beyond grants for specific projects, NAC’s support includes arts housing, professional development, market and audience development as well as philanthropy for the arts. Hence, while NAC may have withdrawn a grant for a specific project, the artist or arts group may still receive NAC’s support in other areas. This can cushion the impact of the grant withdrawal on the artist or arts group.

To ensure impartiality, NAC’s grant assessments are made in consultation with views from external assessors such as industry advisors, experts and practitioners, and based on published grant evaluation criteria such as artistic merit, extent of public engagement as well as the capacity and commitment of the applicant to execute the project successfully.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin asked how NAC mitigates costs for grant recipients whose approved grants are retracted, whether they should be discharged from returning funds, and how NAC ensures its grant process remains non-partisan and objective.
Lawrence Wong explained that NAC, as a public agency, follows government policies to safeguard national interests and can withdraw grants if funding agreements are breached, with rare recoveries of disbursed public monies.
He noted that artists or groups may still receive other forms of NAC support like arts housing or professional development, cushioning the impact of a specific grant withdrawal.
To ensure impartiality, NAC involves external assessors and uses published criteria such as artistic merit, public engagement, and applicant capacity in grant evaluations.
The responses clarify that while grant withdrawal is rare, NAC has clear procedures to recover funds if needed and maintains an objective assessment process.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Retraction of Art Grant Monies | PAPERCUTS

Retraction of Art Grant Monies

Debated in Parliament on 13 Jul 2015.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin asked how NAC mitigates costs for grant recipients whose approved grants are retracted, whether they should be discharged from returning funds, and how NAC ensures its grant process remains non-partisan and objective.
Lawrence Wong explained that NAC, as a public agency, follows government policies to safeguard national interests and can withdraw grants if funding agreements are breached, with rare recoveries of disbursed public monies.
He noted that artists or groups may still receive other forms of NAC support like arts housing or professional development, cushioning the impact of a specific grant withdrawal.
To ensure impartiality, NAC involves external assessors and uses published criteria such as artistic merit, public engagement, and applicant capacity in grant evaluations.
The responses clarify that while grant withdrawal is rare, NAC has clear procedures to recover funds if needed and maintains an objective assessment process.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Full Transcript

Kuik Shiao-Yin

Lawrence Wong

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin asked how NAC mitigates costs for grant recipients whose approved grants are retracted, whether they should be discharged from returning funds, and how NAC ensures its grant process remains non-partisan and objective.
Lawrence Wong explained that NAC, as a public agency, follows government policies to safeguard national interests and can withdraw grants if funding agreements are breached, with rare recoveries of disbursed public monies.
He noted that artists or groups may still receive other forms of NAC support like arts housing or professional development, cushioning the impact of a specific grant withdrawal.
To ensure impartiality, NAC involves external assessors and uses published criteria such as artistic merit, public engagement, and applicant capacity in grant evaluations.
The responses clarify that while grant withdrawal is rare, NAC has clear procedures to recover funds if needed and maintains an objective assessment process.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Retraction of Art Grant Monies

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Questions Identified

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Kuik Shiao-Yin

Lawrence Wong

Summary

Questions Identified

Retraction of Art Grant Monies

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Kuik Shiao-Yin

Lawrence Wong

Summary

Questions Identified