Art & Heritage in Historic Buildings, Art Management Journey, Esplanade: Theatres on the Bay (1993 to 1997), Ministry of Information & the Arts (MITA) (1990 -1993), Musings, Special PeopleLeave a comment
Sticky post

Bearing Witness : Why I blog

Juliana Lim

This last month has been a month of reunions – sometimes planned, sometime serendipitous – with pals from my arts management days including designers, specialists, administrators and artists. In June 2019, I had a wonderful London reunion with the former consultants in the Esplanade project. We have warm, highly energized conversations as we reminisce about our times together producing concerts and theatrical events, designing theatre spaces and in particular, the Esplanade Theatres. Lots of laughter and lots of “Aha, so that’s what it was all about!” moments.   At some point in our conversations, we realise that we are doing … Continue reading Bearing Witness : Why I blog

Art Assistance Schemes, Art Blueprints / Policies, Art Management JourneyLeave a comment

Conversations around “For Arts’ Sake”

Juliana Lim

Exhausted from completing “For Arts’ Sake: Memoirs of a Singapore Arts Manager”, I did not have the energy to market it. In any case, it was just something I had to get done, to document the contributions of my generation of arts managers. It was never a commercial venture, more like an impulsive “bad business decision”, echoing the voice of one of my former bosses. So, it was very nice that two former colleagues from the Singapore Arts Centre Company surfaced with ideas to “market” my book. First, my dear colleague turned friend Joyce Teo who now anchors the Arts … Continue reading Conversations around “For Arts’ Sake”

Art as a Profession, Art Evangelism, Art Management Journey, Art Volunteerism, Before Arts ManagementLeave a comment

For Arts’ Sake: Memoirs of a Singapore Arts Manager

Juliana Lim

On 28 August 2023, I launched my memoirs “For Arts’ Sake: Memoirs of a Singapore Arts Manager” at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, at the invitation of my former colleague and dear friend Joyce Teo who is now the … Continue reading For Arts’ Sake: Memoirs of a Singapore Arts Manager

Art Assistance Schemes, Art Blueprints / Policies, Art Housing Scheme, Art Management Journey, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), MusingsLeave a comment

Cultural Vision 1999

Juliana Lim

Everyone remembers the 1989 Advisory Council for Culture and the Arts (ACCA) and more recently, Renaissance City Report but hardly anyone remembers Cultural Vision 1999.  Whenever I mention Cultural Vision 1999 to my arts management friends, I draw a very blank.  I wonder how a Vision that was so significant and empowering for me and which had such a great impact on the arts landscape can be so totally unheard of. Cultural Vision 1999 was part of the PAP’s “Singapore, City of Excellence – A Vision for Singapore by 1999” election Manifesto led by then First Deputy Prime Minister Mr … Continue reading Cultural Vision 1999

Art & Heritage in Historic Buildings, Art Allies, Art as a Profession, Art Assistance Schemes, Art Exchanges, Art Housing Scheme, Art Management Journey, Art Promotion Agencies, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), Ministry of Information & the Arts (MITA) (1990 -1993)Leave a comment

Art Exchanges: Australia

Juliana Lim

Perhaps, my most memorable trip was in 1988 when the Australian Government hosted me to a study tour of five Australian cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, and Hobart. My interest in arts granting, arts housing and, heritage conservation was … Continue reading Art Exchanges: Australia

Art Exchanges, Art Management Journey, Arts & Business, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), MusingsLeave a comment

Art Exchanges : Hong Kong / Taiwan

Juliana Lim

In 1987, MCD officials led by our Deputy Secretary Arts Mr Lee Wai Kok, made a trip to Taiwan and Hong Kong with Kesavan Yoo Weng of EDB and Catherine Ong from the Singapore Tourism Board.  This trip was made under the auspices of the Task Force on Culture and Entertainment which was set up to synergise the interests of the arts, tourism and economics, ultimately to catalyse the Singapore art scene  and create more opportunities for Singapore artists. The Tri-agency goal of this trip was  to woo arts entrepreneurs into Singapore to make films, build film sets, that could double … Continue reading Art Exchanges : Hong Kong / Taiwan

Art & Heritage in Historic Buildings, Art Allies, Art as a Profession, Art Exchanges, Art Housing Scheme, Art Management Journey, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990)Leave a comment

Art Exchanges : Germany

Juliana Lim

My first trip to Germany was for a Seminar  on Arts Administrators in West Berlin courtesy of the Goethe Institut in 1988.  We – our Director (Arts) Mr Ng Yew Kang, Musician-Artist Dr Tan It Koon and I (then Assistant Director (Arts) were hosted by Goethe Institut Director Dr  Niesche and the Institut’s Arts Officer Moh Siew Lan. We glimpsed the legendary Berlin Philharmonic Hall but didn’t hear a performance in it. They also pointed out to us the train station and other old buildings that were being restored for artists’ use and I really think that this deepened mine … Continue reading Art Exchanges : Germany

Art & Heritage in Historic Buildings, Art Assistance Schemes, Art Housing Scheme, Art Management Journey, Artists, Literary Arts, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), Visual Arts1 Comment

Telok Kurau Studios

Juliana Lim

In 1986, we secured the Telok Kurau West School on Telok Kurau, Lorong J for use by the St Patrick’s Arts Centre which was still morphing into the La Salle School of the Arts. It was among the disused Government buildings listed on the Land Office quarterly circulars. When La Salle College moved to its new premises in Goodman Road, the National Arts Council converted the building into a visual arts centre. Now called the Telok Kurau Studios, it houses notable artists like Teo Eng Seng,  the late Anthony Poon,  Chng Seok Tin and many others. The building is self-managed … Continue reading Telok Kurau Studios

Art Allies, Before Arts ManagementLeave a comment

Before Arts Management

Juliana Lim

From my dedicated pursuit of this blog “Singapore Art Manager 1980s / 90s”, it must be abundantly obvious to everyone, that I deem my time in arts management to be the most important and fulfilling part of my 40-year corporate career. By the time I joined the People’s Association in 1979 with oversight of its Cultural Troupe,  I was already in a junior management position as Assistant Director with a dedicated portfolio and a team, with a degree of confidence that I had built from my previous postings. It’s when I began to feel I could make a difference.  I … Continue reading Before Arts Management

Art & Heritage in Historic Buildings, Art Allies, Art Exchanges, Art Management Journey, Art Promotion Agencies, Art Volunteerism, Esplanade: Theatres on the Bay (1993 to 1997), Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), Music & Opera, Musings, People's Association (1978 to 1981), Singapore Arts Centre (1985 to 1993), Special PeopleLeave a comment

Art Exchanges

Juliana Lim

For half my career, I have been blessed with a job that overlaps with my hobbies and life passions.  So, whether I was traveling for work or pleasure. I was doing exactly the same thing. From the time I hit … Continue reading Art Exchanges