Category: Art Events / Projects

Art Events / Projects, Art Management Journey, Art Sponsorship, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), Ministry of Culture (1981 to 1984), Singapore Cultural FoundationLeave a comment

Chorus Line – 90 minutes late!!

Juliana Lim

The scariest / most embarrassing experience of my arts management career occurred on 24 August 1987, when our “Chorus Line” started 90 minutes late.  Chorus Line was one of three productions staged under the auspices of the SIA Great Performers’ Series in a partnership forged between my former classmate and colleague Robert Liew and SIA. The show was scheduled at 8pm but started at 9.30pm. After post-mortem’ing the incident with Robert, the lighting contractor Henry Ang of Electronica Musical Engineering, the National Theatre Trust technical team headed by Simon and the show agent Rafael Brown, we established that the delay was a consequence of … Continue reading Chorus Line – 90 minutes late!!

Art Allies, Art Events / Projects, Art Management Journey, Art Promotion Agencies, Ministry of Culture (1981 to 1984), Music & OperaLeave a comment

Singapore Musical Society

Juliana Lim

  This old Straits Times article on pianist Fu Tsong, reminds me that the National Music Competition of the 1980s was co-organised with the Singapore Musical Society. Indeed, it was the Society that started the tradition of annual music competitions. Quoting from a framed-up document found in former Society President Janet Tan’s  home, “The Singapore Musical Society, known in the early days as the Singapore Philharmonic Society, was founded in 1902. It was a non-profit making society organisation set up to develop and promote the love of music in our Community. In addition to providing sponsorship for local and visiting … Continue reading Singapore Musical Society

Art Blueprints / Policies, Art Events / Projects, Art Management Journey, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990)Leave a comment

Audiences of the ’80s

Juliana Lim

Between Aug ‘86 to Mar ‘87, the MCD Cultural Services Section conducted a full cycle of audience surveys, leveraging on Drama Festival (Aug/Sep 86), Jazz Festival (Sep 86), Dance Festival (Dec 86) and the Festival of Choirs (Mar 87).  By the time of the 1986 Singapore Festival of Arts, the research programme was in full swing. Since manpower resources were scarce, it was all hands-on-deck and I remember standing in the lobby of the Drama Centre on Fort Canning, questionnaires and pencils in hand, persuading members of the audience to complete the forms while waiting for the show to start … Continue reading Audiences of the ’80s

Art & Heritage in Historic Buildings, Art Events / Projects, Art Publications, Ministry of Culture (1981 to 1984), Visual ArtsLeave a comment

Decluttering art-i-facts

Juliana Lim

I’m a sentimental person and a natural hoarder who has kept letters, postcards, dresses from primary school. It’s such a struggle to declutter but wanting to travel more frequently and free of encumbrances, cockroaches and silver fishes (which thankfully, have … Continue reading Decluttering art-i-facts

Art Assistance Schemes, Art Events / Projects, Art Sponsorship, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), Ministry of Culture (1981 to 1984), Music & Opera, Singapore Cultural Foundation, Visual ArtsLeave a comment

arts projects kick-started / bolstered by Singapore Cultural Foundation

Juliana Lim

  Drama Festival Annual Play-writing Competition Arts Resource Centre, National Library Reference Section  (now the Performing Arts Library, The Esplanade) Chinese Instrumental Music Festival (14-22 Mar 81) Emily of Emerald Hill at Edinburgh Festival (Jul /Aug 87) National Day Art Fair Royal Danish Ballet Performances (23-25 April 1985) Short-Story Writing Competition Singapore International Jazz Festival (12-30 Sep 82) Visit of Gothenburg Orchestra (Feb 87) Words into Print Scheme Overseas Art Scholarship  Festival of Dance….         Continue reading arts projects kick-started / bolstered by Singapore Cultural Foundation

Art Assistance Schemes, Art Events / Projects, Art Management Journey, Art Publications, Art Sponsorship, Ministry of Culture (1981 to 1984), National Symbols, Singapore Cultural Foundation, Visual ArtsLeave a comment

New art promoter (Ministry of Culture (1981)

Juliana Lim

I joined the Ministry of Culture in 1981 as Assistant Director (Culture).  The Ministry of Culture was then housed on the third storey of City Hall on Connaught Drive.  This historic building holds many good memories for me as I was … Continue reading New art promoter (Ministry of Culture (1981)

Art Events / Projects, Art Management Journey, Art Sponsorship, Community Art Events, Ministry of Community Development (1985 to 1990), Ministry of Culture (1981 to 1984), Music & Opera, Singapore Cultural Foundation, Visual ArtsLeave a comment

Catapulting Singapore Arts Festival to international stature

Juliana Lim

The year 1982 was a landmark year for an annual arts festival that is now deeply entrenched in our arts calendar.  It was in that year that a humble school arts festival was catapulted to international stature. The impetus for this significant arts development did not come from within the civil service.  It came from the enlightened forward-looking Public Affairs team of Mobil Oil Singapore led by Public Affairs Manager Gareth Steen and Public Affairs Adviser Arun Mahizhnan.  A cultured and scholastic gentleman who had  worked previously as a broadcaster,  Arun had a special insight  into the arts landscape.  It is to him, Gareth … Continue reading Catapulting Singapore Arts Festival to international stature

Art Events / Projects, Art Management Journey, Art Sponsorship, Corporate Art, Ministry of Culture (1981 to 1984), Visual Arts4 Comments

Corporate Art Competitions

Juliana Lim

In the early 80s, corporate art competitions among local companies were unheard of, although banks like UOB had already started to build art collections.  SIA took the lead when in 1981; they approached the Ministry for assistance in organizing their first and one-off contemporary … Continue reading Corporate Art Competitions