SINGAPORE BIENNALE

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SINGAPORE BIENNALE: **

(Update on performance): **

3.

Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts if he will provide an update on the performance of this year's Biennale as compared to the inaugural Biennale held two years ago.

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Dr Lee Boon Yang: I would like to thank Dr Lateef for her interest in the Singapore Biennale (SB), which is into its second edition this year. The SB 2008, as Singapore's premier international contemporary visual arts show, is important in furthering our vision to position Singapore as a culturally vibrant international arts hub. SB 2008 continues to have a strong focus on community outreach and engagement, with programmes to reach out to Singaporeans and encourage appreciation for and participation in contemporary visual arts.

As the SB 2008 is still ongoing, it is too early for us to assess the public response and outcome for the event. Nonetheless, MICA can provide a broad comparison of the 2006 and 2008 editions at this point in time. The SB 2008 continues the general programming direction of SB 2006, featuring predominantly Asian artists, and showcasing the best that Singapore and the region have to offer.

Similar to the 2006 edition, the SB 2008 provides excellent opportunities for Singapore artists, curators and art businesses to exchange and collaborate with the international visual arts community. Many of the Singaporean artists who exhibited in the 2006 Biennale have been selected for other international exhibitions. The current crop of Singaporean artists has also garnered a lot of international interest.

The 2008 Biennale has incorporated useful learning points from the inaugural Biennale experience in 2006. For example, taking into account the general feedback that SB 2006's 19 exhibition venues were too dispersed and challenging for both curators and visitors, the 2008 Biennale is more accessible with artworks exhibited at centrally located venues such as the former City Hall, South Beach Development and the Central Promontory Site. Outdoor exhibits have also been installed at the Esplanade Bridge, Raffles City and the Singapore Flyer to bring about greater artistic vibrancy and excitement to the streets.

There is also a new arts educational and outreach initiative under the SB 2008 aimed at strengthening engagement in the arts among the young. For example, the Kids' Biennale has successfully attracted more than 8,000 students from 35 schools. SB 2008 is also extending its reach to children with special needs as part of the objective of making visual arts accessible to everyone in society. In addition, the SB this year has made special efforts to engage the different ethnic groups and senior citizens by including guides trained to conduct tours in Malay, Tamil and even Chinese dialects such as Hokkien and Cantonese. There are also English, Mandarin and Japanese tour guides.

As at end September 2008, the Biennale has attracted a total visitorship of about 20,000 for the three main exhibition venues. This is an encouraging sign as the figure is comparable with that of SB 2006 for the same duration, although the latter had more exhibits and exhibition venues. Visitors to the Biennale this year have commented that "... this time, the pieces are more imaginative and inspiring ... (and) also more convenient now with three locations ..." and "... the works set you thinking, about how they do it and their creativity."

The event is also enjoying good media coverage, both locally and in the international media. Many overseas journalists (eg, from Indonesia, Dubai, India, Russia) who were earlier in town for the Formula 1 Grand Prix had also visited and reported on the Biennale in their media overseas.

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MICA would be happy to provide a more comprehensive update on the SB 2008 at the end of its run. I would also like to assure Dr Lateef that we will continue to review the organisation and form of the Biennale to ensure that its programme and delivery contribute meaningfully to our cultural landscape. This includes consulting closely with the Biennale's partners and supporters, as well as taking into consideration the audience needs and public feedback received for the event.