Kenneth Kwok (Ministry of National Development, Singapore): in conversation

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Notes

1 National Parks Board (NParks) is a government agency overseeing urban ecosystems, greenery, biodiversity conservation, wildlife and animal health, welfare and management and the overall living environment (source: www.nparks.gov.sg).

2 Housing Development Board (HDB) is Singapore’s public housing authority. HDB oversees public housing estates, builds homes, provides commercial, recreational and social amenities for residents (source: www.hdb.gov.sg).

3 People’s Association (PA) is a statutory board that aims to promote racial harmony and social cohesion in Singapore (source: www.pa.gov.sg).

4 The Sunday Times commissioned a public survey in 2020 to find out which jobs are most crucial during COVID-19. Artists were named as the most non-essential job, whereas healthcare workers were listed as the most essential job during COVID-19 (source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/8-in-10-singaporeans-willing-to-pay-more-for-essential-services).

5 https://www.nac.gov.sg/about-us/our-sg-arts-plan-2018-2022.

6 Reference to the Arts and Culture Strategic Review 2012.

7 The Media Development Authority was a statutory board which provided classification guidelines for the arts and entertainment industries in Singapore. It organized consultative sessions with leading artists and arts companies to gather public feedback on the concept of self-censorship in 2014. The agency has since been renamed to Infocomm Media Development Authority Singapore (source: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/art-of-censorship-in-singapore).

8 The Media Development Authority suggested a scheme for artists and arts groups to classify their own shows according to the authority’s classification code and ratings. The scheme, called Arts Term Licensing, eventually was not implemented due to the collective opposition of the arts industry (source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mda-removes-arts-term-licensing-from-proposed-amendments-to-act).

9 The Substation was Singapore’s first independent arts centre which prided itself as a space for independent artists and collectives to experiment, collaborate and explore beyond conventional interdisciplinary boundaries. The centre closed down permanently in 2021, despite repeated calls by the public as well as artistic communities for government to retract its decision.