Arts, culture & sports

Jean See inquired whether the Ministry for Digital Development and Information would require firms awarded creative projects to engage Singapore-registered subcontractors and local talents and allocate a portion of their budget for this purpose to enhance the local creative workforce. Josephine Teo explained that while government agencies procure creative services through various means, they must also allow agencies the flexibility to hire the best talents for their clients in a cost-effective manner. The government supports local artists and the creative industry through programs and grants intended to uplift local talent and companies.

• The Founders' Memorial is projected to cost $335 million for development, covering construction, fit-out of galleries and spaces, and a 5-hectare public garden.
• The memorial is scheduled to open by the end of 2028 and will serve as a space for reflection and unification for Singaporeans.
• Annual operating costs are still being determined alongside the development of operational plans.

• The Government supports minority arts groups through grants and multi-year funding, such as the National Arts Council's Major Company Scheme and Presentation and Participation grant, which have aided groups like Era Dance Theatre and Apsaras Arts in presenting works in non-English mediums.
• Platforms like the annual Malay CultureFest, Esplanade's Pesta Raya and Kalaa Utsavam festivals, and the Chingay Parade provide venues for minority artists to showcase their work to diverse local and international audiences and collaborate regionally.
• Initiatives like the Singapore Writers Festival feature non-English programming, while the Arts Education Programme brings minority arts into schools, and community-focused efforts like ArtsEverywhere@CDC extend performances to heartland locations to engage new audiences.

• The Arts Resource Hub has successfully achieved its goals of supporting self-employed arts practitioners by offering career guidance, digital resources, co-working spaces, community events, and well-being programmes.
• Since its establishment in 2019, the Hub has served over 3,200 members, maintained high venue usage rates, and received strong positive feedback from participants.
• The Hub significantly aided the arts community during the COVID-19 pandemic by helping to deliver targeted financial support and maintain engagement.
• Future plans include expanding access to legal advice and well-being programmes, and creating more platforms for networking and collaboration, particularly for young and emerging artists.
• The National Arts Council will continue to enhance the Hub’s offerings by working closely with the arts community to identify and address evolving needs.

• Ong Hua Han proposed extending the senior citizen rate for ActiveSG sports facilities to persons with disabilities (PwDs) to boost their participation in exercise and inclusive sports.
• Edwin Tong noted that SportSG already supports PwD access through free group entries for SPED schools and agencies via the Social Service Corporate Membership scheme, which includes ActiveSG credits for facility bookings.
• SportSG has introduced various inclusive sports programmes and is working to enhance facilities for all abilities, while studying the suggestion to extend the senior citizen rate as part of efforts to promote inclusive sports.

• SportSG conducts daily routine checks and walkabouts at ActiveSG sport centres to detect faults and irregularities, complementing scheduled cyclical maintenance and upgrading plans.
• Feedback received through the ActiveSG website and staff at sport centres includes comments on cleanliness and faulty or damaged equipment and fixtures.
• When faults are discovered during checks or from public feedback, ActiveSG’s facilities management team and contractors promptly carry out rectification works.
• SportSG commits to maintaining ActiveSG facilities to meet the sporting needs of Singaporeans.

• Minister Edwin Tong outlined a multi-pronged approach to grow the arts sector, emphasizing that a competitive and sustainable ecosystem with strong companies, skilled practitioners, and supportive audiences is key to ensuring good jobs and competitive pay for arts workers, rather than setting fixed salary guidelines.
• The government has invested significantly in the arts, including a $100 million funding boost under the Our SG Arts Plan 2023–2027 and initiatives like the Arts and Culture Resilience Package, which helped the sector rebound post-pandemic with rising median incomes and sector growth.
• Support measures include strengthening arts companies through funding schemes, developing practitioner skills via frameworks and training programmes, and expanding audience bases through community outreach and international market access to boost demand and artist visibility.

Hazel Poa and Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth about the estimated costs and budget management for hosting the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The Minister emphasized that hosting such events aims to provide economic and social benefits, attracting overseas spectators and boosting tourism. Detailed planning and budget measures have been implemented, but specific budget figures cannot be disclosed due to ongoing sponsorship negotiations. The organizing committee is focused on ensuring international standard venues and plans to maximize the use of facilities for future events, including the World Aquatics Masters Championships.

Yip Hon Weng raised concerns about promoting healthy lifestyles in public sports complexes, suggesting the exclusion of commercial tenants that do not align with these values. Edwin Tong Chun Fai responded by stating that ActiveSG Sport Centres play a vital role in this effort. Sport Singapore has established guidelines for food and beverage tenants to offer healthier options, including lower-sodium dishes and low or no-sugar drinks. The ministry will continue to collaborate with F&B operators to enhance healthy lifestyle choices while maintaining a variety of options for the community.

Tan Wu Meng questioned whether government funding for SPH Media included conditions for consumer service standards, particularly regarding delivery of hardcopy newspapers. Mrs. Josephine Teo clarified that the funding supports SPH Media Trust’s talent and technology and requires the circulation of print copies of flagship titles, except on Print Holidays. SPH Media must notify the government and the public of significant delivery delays, facing penalties for excessive unplanned incidents. However, SPH Media retains autonomy over their delivery methods due to reliance on numerous vendors facing various challenges.

Usha Chandradas addressed the importance of arts education in society, emphasizing its role in developing creativity, critical thinking, and socio-emotional skills among students. She suggested enhancing drama education in the primary curriculum and integrating arts education with core subjects to foster interdisciplinary learning. Concerns about the undervaluation of arts educators were raised, highlighting their unique challenges and the need for better support and recognition. Chandradas also called for improved labeling of public artworks to enhance public understanding and engagement with art in community spaces. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Shawn Huang acknowledged the value of arts education and outlined ongoing efforts to strengthen arts programs within Singapore's education system.

• The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the National Heritage Board recognize the importance of heritage businesses and support their sustainability through grants and initiatives like the Organisation Transform Grant and Heartland Enterprise Placemaking Grant, which help businesses adopt transformation efforts and organize innovative activities.
• NHB runs programs such as Craft x Design to pair traditional craft practitioners with contemporary designers for innovative co-creation, and Street Corner Heritage Galleries to profile long-standing shops, both aimed at expanding market reach and preserving cultural identity.
• Heritage Activation Nodes and partnerships with agencies like the Urban Redevelopment Authority facilitate community-driven projects to document and celebrate heritage businesses, guiding future preservation efforts while encouraging innovation.

• The Government provides holistic support through grants, awards, and capability development schemes like the National Arts Council's Cultural Medallion, Young Artist Award, and Arts Scholarship, which have benefited Malay artists and groups such as Era Dance Theatre and NADI Singapura.
• Malay artists have platforms to showcase their work internationally (e.g., Esplanade's Pesta Raya), nationally (e.g., Chingay Parade), and locally (e.g., Wisma Geylang Serai programming), with opportunities for collaboration and audience engagement.
• Initiatives like the Arts Education Programme, Cultural Performance Exposure Fund, and Bulan Bahasa promote cultural education and broader public engagement, supported by community activities, online resources, and school-based learning.

• The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth works with cultural institutions to offer ticket concessions for persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users, with take-up increasing by 33% from 2022 to 2023.
• Arts groups like the Singapore Symphony Orchestra also provide discounted tickets for persons with disabilities, and events feature inclusive programming such as audio description, captioning, and sign language interpretation.
• Initiatives like relaxed performances at Esplanade and inclusive programming with community partners such as SG Enable enhance accessibility for persons with sensory needs or disabilities.
• The National Arts Council and National Heritage Board conduct capability development efforts, including forums and months focused on accessibility, to share best practices across the arts and heritage sector.
• The National Arts Council supports arts education in Special Education schools through schemes and grants to expand access to quality arts experiences for persons with disabilities upstream.

• KASM coordinates with agencies like LTA, SMRT, and SPF through a Traffic Management and Crowd Control Committee to plan crowd dispersal, with most events cleared within 15 minutes.
• On event days, additional marshals manage traffic, and government agencies deter illegal parking in surrounding areas, with feedback channels for residents via Residents’ Committees.
• KASM uses event guides, media, and direct SMS to encourage public transport and early arrival, and pilots crowd management tactics like emcees at MRT stations.
• For events expecting over 5,000 people, KASM notifies SPF under the Public Order Act and operates an Integrated Command and Control Centre for incident response.
• Successful examples include the Taylor Swift concerts, where officers stationed at car parks prevented illegal parking and ensured resident access.

• Mr Desmond Choo asked about the prevalence of migrant workers sleeping on roads and efforts to provide sufficient recreation areas.
• The Ministry of Manpower reports about one case per month of migrant workers found resting along roads.
• Large dormitories have designated areas for food and alcohol consumption, and nine recreation centres near dormitories offer socialising venues.
• Free shuttle services connect dormitories to recreation centres, and the Ministry plans to improve the variety and quality of offerings with NGOs and commercial partners.

• Dennis Tan asked for an update on the works and improvements at Hougang Sports Centre, including the facilities to be enhanced or added and the expected timelines.
• Edwin Tong confirmed that the sports centre is currently undergoing renovation and will be completed by 2026.
• The upgraded centre will feature a larger gym, new fitness studios, and a sheltered teaching pool with ramp access.
• Additional improvements include new water play features, activity areas, fitness stations, basketball courts, and a running track.
• The refreshed centre will be fully accessible with barrier-free access, sheltered drop-offs, and covered linkways connecting facilities.

• The National Arts Council’s Major Company Scheme, introduced in 2000, has grown from 17 to 50 registered arts companies by 2024, representing diverse art forms and ethnic groups, and has contributed to artistic excellence and corporate management standards.
• The scheme’s success is evaluated using key performance indicators such as audience attendance, satisfaction, financial sustainability, and governance, with companies also supporting employment and projects for self-employed persons in the arts sector.
• The scheme was refreshed in 2024 to align with Singapore’s 2023-2027 arts plan, focusing on community building, capability development, and collaboration to enhance the arts ecosystem and creative economy.

• Usha Chandradas asked whether beneficiaries of subsidised tenancies under the National Arts Council's Arts Infrastructure Schemes are allowed to sub-let their spaces and what terms apply.
• Edwin Tong clarified that the NAC, as landlord, does not permit tenants to sub-let the allocated spaces.
• However, arts tenants may share spaces with other arts companies or artists for collaborative art-making or presentations.
• The schemes provide highly subsidised access to ensure affordability for arts creation and presentation.
• The response emphasised that sharing is allowed for collaboration but sub-letting is not permitted under NAC's policies.

• The Minister affirmed the Government’s focus on expanding sports facilities for public use and athlete development, noting that ActiveSG Sport Centres, community clubs, school facilities under the Dual Use Scheme, and free estate sports spaces are being increased.
• Indoor facilities in ActiveSG Sport Centres primarily serve the public and ActiveSG programmes, not commercial coaches, so usage by private coaches is not tracked, and the centres offer affordable rates to members.
• SportSG supports coaches through the National Registry of Coaches and provides upskilling via free or subsidised continuing education courses, but did not specify plans to increase facilities specifically for commercial coaching or to support micro-enterprises.