Sport Singapore (SportsSG) has announced the induction of 103 new spexScholars across 26 sports, alongside the first-ever cohort of 48 spexPotential athletes. These initiatives are part of Singapore’s High Performance Sports (HPS) system, aimed at enhancing support for both emerging and elite athletes.
In light of the new direction, which emphasizes accelerating funding for the arts and music sectors, it’s crucial to approach this opportunity with a focus on both artistic excellence and accountability.
A Pillar of Sporting Success
Since its inception in 2013, the spexScholarship has been a cornerstone of Singapore’s HPS system, providing comprehensive support for athletes. This includes financial assistance, access to sports science expertise, and tailored coaching programs. The impact of this program is evident in the success stories of athletes like national sprint queen Shanti Pereira and para swimmer Toh Wei Soong, who have achieved significant milestones at the Asian and international levels.
Notably, spexScholars have made substantial contributions to Singapore’s medal tally at major sporting events, despite making up a small percentage of the national contingent. This year, the program continues to grow, with 103 spexScholars inducted, marking a steady increase since the inaugural batch of 61 athletes.
Chief Executive Officer of SportSG, Alan Goh, emphasized the importance of these programs in nurturing talent and ensuring sustained sporting success. He stated, “Singapore’s High Performance Sports (HPS) system nurtures our local athletes at different stages of their development pathways, with the aim of helping them to realise their fullest potential and represent Team Singapore. This new spexPotential programme provides our young, budding athletes with both the support to kickstart their careers and the opportunities to succeed in their journey.”
Bridging the Gap for Youth Talent
While the commitment to increased financial support for the creative industries is commendable, the manner in which these funds are allocated, as well as utilized must be carefully considered to ensure they truly are done in a genuine manner to drive innovation and artistic progress.
One of the fundamental items to strengthen is the alignment between talent and opportunity. Capable candidates that are accepted into programs such as the Arts Elective Programme (AEP) or Music Elective Programme (MEP), are often diverted by the education system, into careers despite their exceptional artistic abilities. For instance, a violinist of professional musical caliber or deemed a child prodigy might be swayed by the predictability of careers with more certainty, thereby leading to deep discounting and unfulfilled artistic potential.
This trend not only stifles individual creativity but also limits the diversity and richness of Singapore’s cultural landscape and does not incentivize those that are top of their fields to contribute to the cultural economy.
To address these sentiments, it is essential to establish standards to promote, strengthen and develop excellence in the arts, based perhaps on a tiered system, with clearer and more substantive criteria for such allocations.
Such funds should be allocated projects and individuals who demonstrate true creative potential, based on a merit based approach and a commitment to their craft, to raise overall standards, not merely seen as handouts for those that may not have commercial appeal to get by. Additionally, there must be adherence to minimum standards of understanding and knowledge of intellectual property, as respected in markets with well-established cultural ecosystems and a high quality of artistry.
This approach requires a shift away from simply meeting the bare minimum to qualify for financial support and towards fostering a culture of accountability and setting standards, benchmarked on each individual’s trajectory, within the creative community.
Commitment to Sustained Sporting and Entertainment Success
The success of bands like The Sam Willows, who achieved commercial appeal by being one of the first local bands to sign on to a global label, have since pursued individual creative careers, showing that whilst excellence and originality can thrive in Singapore’s arts scene, sustaining this is equally important. Benjamin Kheng’s prominent role in the 2024 National Day celebrations is a testament to the impact that well-supported, talented artists can have a positive lasting effect on the nation’s cultural identity.
The broader market effects on the viability of commercial musicians in Singapore remains a question. Apart from a few notable names like Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin, who have gained recognition beyond Singapore’s borders, the local music scene has yet to produce globally recognized artists. In contrast, regional figures like Jay Chou from Taiwan have reached global standing, as evidenced by his credible and reputable ranking with the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), by topping the Global Album Sales Chart 2022 for his album, “Greatest Works Of Art”.
This highlights the need for a more strategic approach to funding and nurturing creative talent in Singapore. By holding artists and musicians to professional standards and encouraging constructive feedback from the private sector, we can create an environment where creativity and commercial success go hand in hand.
Opportunities in Singapore’s Arts and Music Sectors
Indeed, the commitment to boosting funding for the arts is a step in the right direction, though must still be accompanied by a strong focus on artistic excellence and accountability, for such talent to hit commercial success on an international level.
Creative processes require effort and skill, and it is only by setting and adhering to high standards that Singapore can continue to cultivate a thriving and dynamic cultural scene.
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