Mr Jose Lito Camacho, Chairperson, UAS
Mr Peter Seah, Chairperson, LASALLE
Ms Low Sin Leng, Chairperson, NAFA
Prof Kwok Kian Woon, Vice-Chancellor, UAS
Distinguished guests and friends
Good morning. We are gathered here today for a special occasion. It is the first public event for the University of Arts Singapore (UAS), so congratulations to the team. I am very proud of you and expect great things.
2. Special thanks to Professor Chan Heng Chee. She led the Pro-Tem Committee and brought people together to see how we could make the UAS work. It is an ambitious project. Without Heng Chee and the dedicated members of her team, we would not be here today.
3. I must also mention my special UAS "four-point diamond". They are none other than Lito, who kindly agreed to chair the UAS; Peter, who leads LASALLE; Sin Leng, who leads NAFA; and of course, the hardworking Kian Woon, our UAS Vice-Chancellor.
4. Congratulations to UAS on your inaugural Arts Symposium. I hope that you will grow from strength to strength. Today's symposium brings together academics, arts practitioners, and members of industry. It is a significant milestone not just for arts education, but also the arts and cultural ecosystem.
UAS – Our Aspirations
5. UAS is unique in our tertiary education landscape as a federated university, comprising two members – LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) – and a coordinating body, UAS Limited.
6. Why did we decide to establish UAS? This decision was not made lightly. Both LASALLE and NAFA have their origins in distinguished traditions and histories, and are well-known within Singapore and the region, with distinctive brands and illustrious alumni, some of whom are with us today. Thank you for joining us and honouring us with your presence.
7. UAS was set up to build on and augment the strengths of both colleges. Both colleges, supported by the Government, agreed on a bold vision – that while each institution was strong individually, an alliance built on their collective strengths can better serve Singapore and the region.
8. This will be a journey, as new norms and ways of working have to be forged. When institutions come together, there is a need to broker trust, and for some, to give and take.
9. There were many discussions on the form UAS would take. The Pro-Tem Committee deliberated the modality carefully together with key stakeholders. The PTC landed on a unique federated model that allowed both institutions to retain their unique character, heritage, and autonomy, while also drawing out both colleges' strengths further through UAS.
10. This vision that UAS could become a sum greater than its parts has driven UAS to where it is today. At a juncture where societies increasingly recognise the value of the arts, and economies are diversifying to increasingly value creative thinking, the establishment of UAS is indeed a worthwhile and important pursuit.
11. However, our journey has only just begun. UAS is now at a pivotal juncture where it must decide how best to define itself and chart its path forward.
12. It is my hope that as it charts its way forward, UAS can accomplish three things. As we chart our way forward, I hope that everyone in this hall will also participate in realising this shared vision.
A Catalytic Node in the Arts and Culture Ecosystem
13. First, UAS must be a catalytic and integrative node of the arts and culture ecosystem in Singapore, to strengthen our Singapore Identity as a nation. And this is important because if you know our history, we are an "unlikely" nation. There is much to do for us to forge our collective identity beyond our material successes.
14. Our arts and cultural scene has developed over the decades. Today, we have an established, vibrant, active, and globally connected ecosystem.
- We already have world-renowned arts and cultural institutions such as the Esplanade and National Gallery Singapore.
- Our national cultural institutions, museums, galleries, as well as arts and culture groups offer diverse programmes throughout the year. Every year, major festivals, such as the Singapore Art Week, Singapore Writers Festival and Singapore International Festival of Arts, draw in global artists and audiences.
- Even during COVID-19, interest in the arts has remained high. According to NAC's Population Survey on the Arts 2021, overall arts attendance, either physically or digitally, was 79% in 2021. Ground-up interest and participation in the arts have also grown, and stayed resilient despite the pandemic.
15. The establishment of UAS comes at the cusp of the next phase of arts development, where there is a growing awareness of the power of art to build, inspire, and unite society.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, our arts and culture community reminded us that the human spirit prevails above all.
- Many would remember the emotional night in 2020 when thousands sang "Home" from their windows, together with over 900 performing artistes on broadcast, in appreciation of front-line and migrant workers.
- Through the arts, people are moved to respond to and create change in society. And they saw us through the darkest of times.
16. UAS's students, graduates and faculty must be well sensitised to this. With its people, and its location spanning the heart of our civic district across the National Design Centre and LASALLE's and NAFA's campuses, UAS is especially well-placed to act as a catalyst for an even more vibrant arts and cultural ecosystem in Singapore. We have seen this with other leading arts institutions worldwide, such as with the Royal College of Art and University of Arts London in London.
17. It is my hope that over time, through its contributions in arts education and practice, UAS will be seen as an institutional pillar that further strengthens the Singapore identity, unites Singaporeans, and defines our nation's fabric.
A Generative Node for the Economy
18. Second, UAS must be a generative node for the Singapore economy and offer new value propositions for the global economy in partnership with other sectors.
19. The future of organisations is increasingly inter-disciplinary, with designers, artists, and engineers working closely together.
- Skills traditionally valued in the arts are becoming increasingly sought after in other sectors, such as in the areas of user experience (UX) design and creative placemaking.
- Art forms are also evolving with the rise of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse. While these advancements present exciting opportunities, it also raises questions about the role of artists in an increasingly digitalised world.
- With the ability of AI to complete Beethoven's unfinished 10th Symphony, how do we ensure that original works by our graduates continue to be valued?
- How can we prepare our students to contribute meaningfully to this increasingly digitalised world, so that the arts can continue to help people and communities connect with each other?
- How do we not lose our humanity, in the face of technological change?
20. These opportunities are still nascent, and we do not have all the answers. But the human element will always remain integral to the arts and the society, and UAS's programmes must evolve to stay relevant.
- UAS graduates must be equipped with industry relevant skills. This includes ensuring that they are exposed to a diversity of experiences, and kept abreast of new technologies and developments during their education, while remaining grounded in both core and specialised skillsets that will prepare them for the world.
- UAS must also foster the "x-factor" in its graduates, to ignite their passion to make a mark for their craft, and make a positive difference to society.
- I would also like to encourage members from academia, industry and government present here to partner UAS in this endeavour, by offering industry collaborations or internships for our students and arts practitioners.
21. Like other universities which bring together creative minds to solve the toughest problems, I hope that UAS will do the same. It should be a node for creativity, disruption, and growth, to generate new value propositions for challenges that society or industry may face. I hope that we will not look at the arts as a cost, but rather an integral part of our vibrant economic system delivering value to industries and people alike.
A Node for Regional Arts Development
22. Third, UAS should be a node for regional arts development, and a bridging force in an increasingly fractious and fragmented world. This goes beyond Singapore.
23. Singapore occupies a unique position, at the creative cultural crossroads between the East and the West.
- UAS must take advantage of this confluence to build a niche for itself, establishing itself as a leading arts education institution regionally and even globally.
- This can be done by advancing thought leadership through organising symposiums like today's, bringing together the best of academia and industry. Not just within Singapore, but with partners beyond Singapore as well.
- UAS also exercises influence through pedagogy and practice, which combines the best elements of different schools of thought. If you think about it, that has always been Singapore's value proposition: an interchange of ideas and traditions from all around the world. UAS shares this important role, by creating new value propositions that can unite people.
24. At a time when we are confronted with a world increasingly fragmented by different ideologies, political and economic systems, UAS must be an institution which draws strength from a diversity of ideas, people, and partners. It is my hope that it will be a bridging force that brings people and cultures across borders together, through arts education and practice.
Closing
25. So these are my three, simple wishes for UAS. It is easy for me to list these wishes but it will take a lot of effort to make them a reality. I have every confidence that we will make this happen.
26. I hope that UAS will become the core institution in Singapore's arts and cultural scene that strengthens our Singaporean identity. I have confidence that UAS will be a generative node for our dynamic economy, working in close partnership with other sectors, and never alone, to create new value propositions. That people will see UAS as an integrative part of our society and economic growth. I look forward to the day where people can say that UAS is an institution that unites people in a fractious and fragmenting world, and the beacon that brings people from all persuasions together.
27. On that note, I would like to once again thank all of you that walked this journey with us so far, who have helped Heng Chee and her team achieve this. Who are now helping Lito, Peter, Sin Leng and Kian Woon to deliver this promise. With your participation and contributions, I have no doubt we will get there. Thank you very much.