“SINGAPORE’S CREATIVE JOURNEY”

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

          I would like to begin by joining Chin Nam in welcoming you to this inaugural Beyond 2005: The Global Summit for Creative Industries.  This Summit will discuss, explore and elaborate on the challenges facing Singapore as we attempt to scale a new level of creative endeavours.  I would also like to specially welcome all our overseas participants and guests, who have travelled far and taken time off from their busy schedules to attend this important and thought-provoking forum. 

2.      Creative Industries is an exciting and growing sector which we recognised as an agent of change in our effort to re-invent Singapore.  In my talk I will try to explain some of the historical underpinnings as well as point out how we are adopting and harnessing this new force to benefit our citizens.

Introduction

3.                Singapore is a young nation by any standards.  We have just celebrated our 40^th year of independence this year.  The founding fathers of Singapore were both pragmatic and creative in resolving the social and economic issues to transform this tiny island from a third-world backwater into a first world economy with global outreach in just four decades.  But the economic paradigm which had served us well in the past will not be adequate for the future.  The arrival of the Information Society, accelerating globalisation and rapid technological changes means that we risk becoming irrelevant and marginalised if we do not reinvent ourselves  Clearly we have to reinvent Singapore into a more dynamic, vibrant and creative global city full of life, energy and inspiration to propel us to new heights.  To do so, we need more than just creativity in economic development and governance.  We need a ground swelling of creativity amongst our people and across diverse fields and disciplines - from the arts and humanities, to business and entrepreneurship, to science and technology.    

Creative Industries – Propelling Singapore’s Creative Economy

4.                This need to provoke and stimulate a ground swell of creative enterprises is the underpinning of our Creative Industries Development Strategy. This is our strategy to add a new dimension to our effort to transform and energise our economy.    I am sure many of you are familiar with the term “Creative Industries” although its exact composition may vary from country to country.  Here in Singapore, we understand it as those industries which are inspired by cultural and artistic creativity, and have the potential to create new economic value through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property.  Our Creative Industries includes the Arts, Design and Media Sectors.   

5.                Creative Industries present a new and exciting economic opportunity for Singapore in a rapidly changing global environment.  The old paradigm of serving as a low-cost manufacturing base for MNCs is becoming more difficult to sustain in the light of the emergence of giant Asian economies such as China and India and the Eastern European countries. Today our value proposition is increasingly dependent on going beyond just making good products competitively in Singapore to designing highly desirable and sought after products and services in Singapore.  We are now competing in a world where left-brained activities can be replaced by powerful technological tools. Today there is an increasing premium on right-brained activities giving birth to whole slew of creative products and services.  Put it another way - knowledge and technologies are now commodities. There are growing armies of skilled workers all over the world who will more than ably make and deliver products to consumers. Last week I was in Foshan, Guangdong Province, China. The Mayor of Foshan confidently told a meeting of 23 Asian countries that each member of the delegation must have at least one Foshan-made domestic appliance in his home. Foshan has become the global domestic appliance manufacturing centre. So for Singapore to remain in the economic race we have to switch to understanding consumer desire and creating attractive, fresh and innovative products and offering unique experiences.  This was also the conclusion of 940 senior executives from around the world who responded to a recent Boston Consulting Group Inc. survey. They agreed that increasing top-line revenues through innovation has become essential to success in their industry.  Also as Dan Pink, author of the book “A Whole New Mind” put it – the new MFA (Master of Fine Arts) might just be the new MBA (Master of Business Administration)!     

6.                Apart from its high growth potential and direct economic contribution in the form of GDP growth and jobs, the Creative Industries harness cultural creativity to differentiate products and services across the entire economy.  This is especially critical as we can no longer compete on costs.  The Creative Industries are also integral to enhancing Singapore’s image, vibrancy and buzz, helping to reinforce our attractiveness to talent and enterprises.  Last but not least, vibrant Creative Industries will help to broaden the definitions of success in our society, offering new paths and opportunities for our people to fulfil their individual creative potential. Today, our Creative Industries make up some 3.6% of our GDP.  We hope to increase their GDP contribution to 6% by 2012. My Ministry is therefore investing more than S$200 million from 2003 to 2008 to help nurture and grow our Creative Industries.

Creative Singapore – The Early Years

7.                You might ask – does Singapore have what it takes to succeed in this field?  It is true that Singapore’s economic achievements, technological capabilities and “orderly, safe and green” reputation have always been more visible than our cultural developments.  But let me assure you that Singapore is certainly not a “cultural desert”.

8.                As an open, multi-racial and cosmopolitan society, we provide a creative hothouse for artists to work in. We have also attracted creative people from other countries to supplement our own talents.  Our earliest artists were immigrants from afar who made Singapore their home and left behind a rich artistic heritage.  These pioneering talents, which included the Nanyang artists - Liu Kang, Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng, as well as others such as poet and calligrapher Pan Shou and latter-day playwright Kuo Pao Kun and contemporary ceramic artist Iskandar Jalil, pursued excellence in artistic achievement.  They laid the foundations for the arts in Singapore and offer inspiration for today’s artists and creative talents.

9.                Some of you may also be surprised to know that Singapore was a filmmaking hub in the post-war years leading up to the late 1960s.  Studio giants, Cathay-Keris and Shaw Organisation, which dominated the industry here, produced over 300 Malay language films.  These films appealed to numerous ethnic communities around the region and gave prominence to legendary directors such as Hussain Haniff and actor P. Ramlee.

10.            In the Chinese music scene, the local xinyao movement started in mid-1980s became the precursor of success stories in the regional Chinese pop music industry today.  Many xinyao pioneers went on to become successful songwriters, trainers and producers.  For example, Ocean Butterflies Production, which was set up in 1986 by three members of one of the earliest xinyao groups, The Straws, is the recording company behind successful pop singers such as Ah-Do and JJ Lin (Lin Junjie).  The talented Li Weisong and Li Sisong twin brothers were the ones who discovered and groomed Stephanie Sun into a regional pop star.

11.            These are just a few examples of Singapore’s creative capabilities. From 1989 onwards, the government had also created key arts and cultural agencies and invested in new facilities to support arts and culture. These included the National Arts Council (NAC), National Heritage Board (NHB) and National Library Board (NLB) and cultural facilities such as the Singapore Arts Museum (SAM), Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), The Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and the new National Library incorporating a Drama Centre. 

12.           We have also focused resources on nurturing the “cultural software” of the nation, including the Renaissance City Plan (RCP) launched in 2000.  To develop Singapore into a global arts city, a S$50 million budget was allocated to step up funding for arts development over the following five years. This level of funding allowed NAC to expand their Arts Education Programme in schools at all levels; develop flagship arts companies; provide assistance to local artists to present their works internationally; and allocate funding to events like the Singapore Arts Festival and Singapore Writers’ Festival.  We also established the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI), and The Arts House (at the Old Parliament House) to enhance diversity to our arts and cultural district.

13.           So far we have invested more than S$1 billion on our cultural hardware and software.  The results have been encouraging. Over 600 arts-related companies and societies flourish today, with more than 6,000 arts and cultural events taking place annually.  Attendance has increased steadily over the years, a reflection of the growing maturity of our arts audience.  Reflecting these developments in the arts and culture, the Creative Industries grew from 2.0% of GDP in 1986 to 3.6% in 2003. We have also gained international awareness and recognition for some of our creative enterprises.  For instance, Singapore has established its reputation as a regional visual communications node with outfits like WORK, Phunk studio and Kinetic garnering international acclaim for their bold and provocative work in graphic design, advertising and interactive multimedia.  Our architectural firms are also recognised globally for their strengths in innovative tropical architecture. This year, both DP Architects Pte Ltd and SCDA Architects received the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Worldwide Awards for designing The Esplanade and the Lincoln Modern respectively.  The local filmmaking industry has also experienced a renaissance of sorts over the past decade, with talents like Eric Khoo and Jack Neo, among others, receiving numerous accolades for their films.  Singapore-based companies such as Banyan Tree Holdings, OSIM and Stikfas, just to name a few, that have leveraged on creativity and innovation to launch their brands internationally in niche markets. 

Growing our Creative Capabilities

14.           Moving forward, Singapore will build on the creative foundations laid over the years.  The three-pronged Creative Industries Development Strategy consists of the Renaissance City 2.0, DesignSingapore and Media 21 initiatives focusing on the Arts, Design and Media sectors respectively.  These initiatives bring together key stakeholders in the public and private sectors to realise our common vision of growing Creative Industries through the development of capabilities, platforms, markets and a stimulating and inspiring creative environment.    

15.           Our first priority is to develop fully our creative human resource. Today, we have a diverse education and training landscape with our universities, polytechnics, arts schools and professional training institutes offering a comprehensive range of creative courses to Singaporeans and international students.  A new pre-tertiary Arts School will also open in 2008.  It will offer a unique opportunity for artistically talented young Singaporeans to pursue a holistic education with an emphasis on their creative potential. 

16.           We have also introduced a wide range of public awareness and capability development programmes such as scholarships, workshops and studios.  One example is the DesignSingapore Studio, where local designers get the opportunity to work with renowned international designers.  The first of the series of DesignSingapore Studios was launched with DesignSingapore Council’s International Advisory Panel (IAP) member Toshiyuki Kita last December.  Five companies were invited to collaborate with Kita in designing new products or concepts to be exhibited at the Milan Fair in April 2006.  Other studios are also being planned with IAP members, Japanese architect Toyo Ito and BMW Group Design Director Chris Bangle, allowing our local talents to be mentored by some of the best designers in the world.,

17.           Our second priority is to enhance our attractiveness as a global business city, to anchor international creative enterprises and organisations, as well as to grow our local companies.  Over the past year, we have seen many well-established companies setting up base in Singapore.  These companies include  Lucasfilm, the company behind the incredibly successful Star Wars trilogy; Koei Entertainment – a major Japanese game developer; RGM Holdings - an international talent management and executive production company; IMG Artists - the world’s largest classical arts event and talent company; and BMW Designworks USA – the design consultancy subsidiary of the famed German car maker.  Many of these companies have cited Singapore’s East-West confluence, strong intellectual property protection framework and accessible infrastructure as reasons for choosing Singapore for their overseas base.  These are our strengths and advantages which will help us to attract more creative enterprises and talents – both local and international – to Singapore.

Industry Engagement and Ownership

18.           The third priority is to forge strong industry engagement and ownership.  It is the impetus of individual talent, groups or organisations that will spur and sustain the growth of creative enterprises.  The government will do its part to provide a conducive environment and support where necessary. But there is no doubt that the crux of the matter rest on our creative talent and enterprises.  Industry players need to be the vanguards charting Singapore’s creative future while the government plays the supporting roles of cheerleader, facilitator and catalyst.  This private-public partnership will be a strong underlying philosophy behind all our activities, particularly for co-investment schemes for content production and other creative initiatives.    

Convergence Creates Fresh Possibilities

19.           We also aim to create new economic opportunities though the fusion of arts, business and technology.  As writer William Plomer once said, “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.”  Our approach is therefore to unleash and connect creativity across different disciplines.  We do this through two key means.                     

20.    Firstly, we develop and support various cross-sectoral platforms and initiatives aimed at uncovering creativity at the cutting edge.  Today’s summit was designed with this in mind.  Another initiative is the Creative Community Singapore launched earlier this year to co-fund and facilitate citizens’ creative projects that will benefit the community.  This empowers anyone with a good idea to realise his or her dream.  Last year we launched the Creative Youth Xchange (CYX), a cross-disciplinary design platform for youths.  This event which is into it second year, is currently taking place at the Gallery Hotel.  Shortlisted participants spend an exciting two weeks to implement their creative dreams on the three-dimensional canvases of the hotel rooms.  Through these initiatives, we hope to catalyze closer dialogue and collaboration across different fields and disciplines.

21.    Secondly, we are adopting a national collaborative approach which provides fresh opportunities for cross-pollination and synergies.  For instance, industry development functions for the various Creative Sectors are led by agencies within the same Ministry, MICA, which also looks after the Info-communications & Technology (ICT), Arts, Heritage and Library Sectors.  We have also set up strategic coordination structures that enable us to tap on a host of government, industry and individual partners.  These two factors have yielded much collaboration amongst stakeholders in the public and private sectors.  For instance, in the promising digital media space, we see our agencies, Media Development Authority, Infocomms Development Authority and Economic Development Board working hand-in-hand with each other and the industry. 

The Asian Connection

22.    In developing our Creative Industries, it is also vital that we do not lose sight of the bigger picture: we have to be relevant to our neighbours, the region and the rest of the world.  Singapore is a tiny city state constrained by a small domestic market.  We therefore have to deliver better and more innovative consumer experiences to compete in an era of globalization and rapid technological changes.  At the onset, we have to think global.

23.    Singapore aspires to be an important node within a network of global cities that serves the regional and global economy.  With the rise of China’s and India’s economies and the continued growth throughout Asia, there are numerous opportunities for trade and collaboration awaiting us.    PricewaterhouseCoopers’ report on Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2005 – 2009 projects that Asia Pacific will remain the fastest-growing region for the entertainment and media market during the next five years, led by rapid growth in China, averaging 11.6 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to increase to US$432 billion in 2009. 

24.    Apart from its market potential, Asia is home to diverse cultures, with a vast wealth of talent and resources.  We have already witnessed the beginnings of an Asian Wave: with Bollywood influences showing up in Hollywood movies; Japanese anime being embraced by the rest of the world; and Korean films and dramas finding their way across the globe.  Asian companies are also fast becoming leaders in various fields.  Japanese and Korean companies like Sony and Samsung have leapfrogged into the international arena through innovative designs to win top awards at global design fora.  It is only a matter of time before other companies from China and other Asian countries develop their iconic design brands for the world market.  Indeed that was what the Mayor of Foshan told me last week. In their next phase they will go beyond making domestic appliance to designing the best and most desirable appliances. Besides China, Thailand and more recently, the Philippines, have also seize on the potential of the Creative Industries and have placed emphasis on the development of their own creative enterprises. 

25.    How would Singapore be positioned in this Asian context? Singapore can achieve success through cooperation and collaboration with our Asian partners. We will leverage on our ability to balance Eastern and Western perspectives and sensibilities. We will connect people and markets throughout Asia and the rest of the world.  Our openness, cosmopolitanism and unique East-West confluence, coupled with underlying strengths in intellectual property protection, advance infocomms network,  financial services and trade and logistics connectivity can help establish Singapore as an important creative node to the region. 

26.    Our local media companies are already collaborating with production and distribution companies in Germany, New Zealand, Canada, China (including Hong Kong and Xi’an), Japan, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States, amongst others, to produce and distribute uniquely Asian content.   Singapore will host the next Asia Pacific Design Network meeting initiated by the Japan Design Foundation, to intensify design exchange activities between Asian countries.  TheatreWorks, one of Singapore’s most cutting edge arts groups, has also initiated the Arts Network Asia - a grouping of independent artists and arts activists.  It aims to encourage and support regional artistic collaboration, and develop managerial and administrative skills in the creative arts of Asia. 

27.    There are indeed tremendous synergies and benefits for Singapore and our Asian neighbours to come together and build strong Asian creative brands.  We can do this by drawing on our collective cultural capital and leveraging on our respective strengths.  We can strengthen existing and build new platforms to facilitate international collaborations and allow for fresh insights, ideas and concepts to be validated, exchanged and showcased.  In this connection, I hope that Crea^©tive 2005 will go some way towards strengthening this Asian connection.  Singapore will also continue to reinforce the spirit of Asian cooperation through existing and new collaborative platforms such as partnership agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with governments and companies in other countries, as well as international associations.

Conclusion

28.    In conclusion, I would say that the creative journey Singapore has taken so far has been making good progress and promises to be even more exciting in the years ahead.  As Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu said, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  We have taken that vital first step.  It is an exciting time for us to be developing the Creative Industries in Asia, amidst this rapidly growing and fast changing landscape.  Many challenges lie ahead of us, but we believe that we will succeed and so will the rest of the Asia in this new age.  To achieve this, sharing and collaboration must take place within the region, and, therefore, we welcome more opportunities for partnership.

29.    I wish all of you many inspiring and stimulating discussions over the next two days.  I hope you will take away new insights, new connections and new ideas for future collaborations.