Youth Participation in the Arts

Mdm Speaker, based on the National Arts Council's Population Survey of the Arts, participation in the arts by youth aged 15 to 24 declined from 40% in 2009 to 28% in 2011. However, this was due in part to a change in the definition of an arts participant in the survey. Respondents who participated in the arts purely for academic or school purposes were excluded in the 2011 edition of the survey. This meant that youth who had participated in school, but did not engage in other arts activities outside of school, were

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excluded from the pool of participants.

The definition was amended to more accurately capture interest and involvement amongst youth relative to other demographic segments, who do not have the advantage of structured school-based programmes. Prior to the change, youth participation rates had appeared much higher than the national average, but may not have presented an accurate picture of youth involvement as they would have included obligatory arts activities in school. Despite this change, the 2011 youth participation rate remains above the national average.

MCCY strongly believes that active participation in the arts can help our youth find greater fulfilment and gain confidence to succeed in their endeavours. Participation in the arts from a young age can also cultivate greater creativity and sensitivity amongst our youth. These qualities will put them in good stead in all areas of life. The energy and passion of our youth will also contribute towards greater vibrancy in our arts landscape. The future success of Singapore depends on having passionate and creative young people who are meaningfully engaged with society, and believe in striving for their ideals and dreams.

For these reasons, the previously announced Arts and Culture Education Masterplan will channel up to $40 million towards initiatives to improve arts and culture curricula and co-curricular activities in schools. This includes providing grants for showcases and performances by school groups, funding projects which improve pedagogies in the arts curriculum, and leveraging on the arts to teach the academic curriculum. The Masterplan also enhances the instructional capabilities of arts teachers, through masterclasses, learning journeys and conferences. Collectively, the Masterplan will improve the experience of students with the arts, cultivate a love of the arts from young, and develop qualities that our youth can carry with them throughout their lives.

MCCY will also continue to support our talented youth to achieve their aspirations in the arts, through programmes such as NAC's "Pocket Rocket" and NOISE. "Pocket Rocket" provides funding and guidance for youth-initiated arts projects which target community or social causes, while NOISE provides young artists with showcase and mentorship opportunities to grow their talent.

Mdm Speaker, I thank the Acting Minister. I have three clarifications. As you know, the arts and culture contribute to the development and well-being of children and young people. Research has shown that arts participation be it learning a musical instrument, singing in a

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choir, drawing or dancing, actually improve children's performance across the curriculum. I just want to find out with regard to the numbers, especially the decline and the change in definition, is the Minister referring to the re-definition of youth participation to only include those youths who participate in the arts as CCAs, and outside of school, leaving out those who take the arts within the core curriculum? My second question is: is there any concern that some of these arts opportunities become significantly reduced after the child hits upper Secondary and starts to face some major examinations? And thirdly, can MCCY commission a survey or some research to track arts participation by children below the age of 15, especially in the area of arts participation outside of school?

I thank the Member for her follow-up questions. On the first question, it is the case that we are looking now with the re-definition of arts participation amongst young people at the young people who do not participate in structured programmes within schools. These are largely CCAs, but there may be other non-CCA type of structured programmes. We are largely looking at CCA programmes. That is the reason for the drop in the youth participation rates.

On tracking the numbers beyond school, and whether there is a decline in the participation rates because of people progressing through school and perhaps not continuing in arts participation after they have graduated, we do not have very good data on this. Perhaps that happens. We hope that we can improve our ability to identify or to find out more information about what youth participation is like.

This links to the Member's third question about broadening the capabilities either within the NAC or the Ministry to have a better sensing of what young people's participation in the arts is like, whether it is at the young age that the Member suggested or as they progress through their school life and perhaps, even as they enter the work force. We do engage in such surveys periodically. NAC, for example, did a survey on youth participation in the arts in 2011. From that survey, they had a good sensing of what interests young people in the arts, what motivates them to take part in the arts. That is one example of a survey that NAC did. We do hope to do more surveys in order to get a better sensing of young people's mindsets when they participate in arts activities.

Thank you, Mdm Speaker. Just a very quick clarification relating to my third supplementary question. My question was whether or not the Minister would start tracking arts participation below the age of 15 for children. This is because if arts participation has very wide knock-on benefits on education and on children's performance in the curriculum, then we need to

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find out whether or not they have enough equal access across the board, at a very, very young age, not after 15.

I thank the Member for the clarification. It is something that we will take into consideration.