SINGAPORE, 12 September 2023 – The National Arts Council (NAC) commemorates 40 years of giving to Singapore’s arts with the Patron of the Arts Awards (POAA) 2023. This year’s edition honours more than 400 patrons comprising a total of 313 individuals and 91 organisations. Collectively they contributed over $45 million in 2022 towards advancing our local arts ecosystem. The patrons’ contributions were recognised at the awards ceremony held on 12 September 2023 at Equarius Hotel, officiated by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law.
The past year saw an upward trend in arts giving, with a 29% increase of total contributions by patrons since 2020, the highest in three years. There was also an increase of 25% in the number of awardees since 2021, reaching an all-time high since the inception of POAA in 1983.
Celebrating 40 years of giving to Singapore’s arts with new Award
This year also marks the introduction of the inaugural Honorary Patron of the Arts Awards. This award recognises patrons for their long-term commitment in giving to the arts and is given to patrons who have received the Distinguished Patron of the Arts Award at least 20 times.
UOB and SPH Media are the recipients of the inaugural Honorary Patron of the Arts Award. They have supported the holistic development of our local arts landscape by providing artists with more avenues to create quality and accessible arts initiatives, to local and international audiences. Examples of such initiatives include UOB’s metaverse platform, SkyArtverse, which provides our artists with a platform to showcase their works to a wider audience, while enhancing accessibility to the arts. UOB also contributed to The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, managed by The Rice Company Limited, which provides arts education to financially disadvantaged children and youth. SPH Media has supported the National Gallery Singapore in their curatorial research, assisted the Esplanade with in-kind sponsorship for their programmes such as Home Grooves and Lights On, and provided Jazz Association (Singapore) and The Theatre Practice Ltd with media and publicity support.
Continuous support from new and founding patrons
Founding awardees of POAA, ExxonMobil and Singapore International Airlines (SIA), have also continued to give to the arts over the years, whether it is through supporting concerts in parks and school campuses, or flying artists around the world to facilitate artistic exchange and presentations. Their contributions were honoured at POAA 2023 with the Friends of the Arts Awards.
Singapore’s arts sector has also benefited from an influx of first-time patrons, which has increased by 45% since 2021. New awardees provided diverse support to elevate the arts scene, such as The Liu Kuo-Sung Foundation, which donated 20 artworks by Chinese artist Liu Kuo-Sung to National Gallery Singapore. For example, in the visual arts space, Velox Digital Singapore Pte Ltd, Friend of the Arts Award recipient, provided Gojek ride vouchers for visitors to the Singapore Biennale. This is a testament to the increased capability of arts institutions and companies in fundraising, assuring tangible long-term impact on the arts and signalling a maturing arts philanthropy landscape.
Diverse forms of giving propels the arts to greater heights
Patrons continue to showcase the versatility of arts philanthropy, from cash donations to contribution of skills, space and other forms of giving-in-kind. In the past year, cash donations were contributed by a diversity of corporate profiles, from SMEs to MNCs, as well as family offices. At POAA 2023, Pacific Eagle Group Pte Ltd and Unisource SG Family Office Pte Ltd were recognised as Friends of the Arts for their cash donations to Singapore Symphonia Company Limited and Ding Yi Music Company respectively.
Other forms of giving, such as in-kind donations, valued at $19.3 million, have tripled over the past year. For example, Patron of the Arts Award recipient JPL Consultants provided their expertise in engineering services and supported Singapore Art Museum (SAM) in the construction of infrastructure for the Singapore Biennale 2022. Frasers Hospitality was recognised as a Friend of the Arts by providing accommodations to Wild Rice for international performers and creative personnel of the play Animal Farm in 2022.
Giving back to communities lies at the heart of arts philanthropy. Patrons leveraged the arts to empower persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups, and to inspire a more inclusive society by finding greater opportunities for conversations and connections among diverse audiences. ION Orchard, a Patron of the Arts Award recipient, helped raise awareness on breast cancer by supporting Breast Cancer Foundation’s arts exhibition Ahead of Time.
The steadfast commitment of donors to arts education helped to nurture the growth of young artistic talents in Singapore. Among these notable contributions is the Tan Chay Bing Education Fund, a Patron of the Arts Award recipient, which supported new students at LASALLE College of the Arts with the Tan Chay Bing Scholarship and Bursary, providing them with the means to pursue higher education in the arts. Others include Distinguished Patron of the Arts recipient The Ngee Ann Kongsi, who has been supporting the extension of LASALLE’s campus, Andreas Toh, whose Contemporary Asian Art Programme supported teaching and research in the field of modern or contemporary Asian Art, and Patron of the Arts Tan Kah Tee funded the purchase of grand pianos for arts groups at the National University of Singapore Centre for the Arts.
Embracing a new generation of arts philanthropy for a sustainable arts ecosystem
Over the past 40 years, Singapore’s strong belief in the arts is demonstrated through the growing pool of patrons’ and their unwavering support in the form of donations and in-kind sponsorships. The rise in contributions is aligned with the NAC Arts Philanthropy Corporate Giving Research 2022, which found that 1 in 3 corporations are now actively looking to give to the arts.
In partnership with the private sector, NAC’s Sustain the Arts (stART) Fund has given small arts organisations a boost in capability development, helping beneficiaries futureproof themselves. For example, Art Photography Centre (DECK) received support from the stART Fund, which allowed them to achieve IPC status and fundraise more effectively as a charity. Distinguished Patron of the Arts, Dr Cheryl Loh, is one of the patrons who have supported DECK, through their Building Fund.
Since its inception in 2020, the stART Fund has disbursed over $1 million across 31 arts organisations, and will continue to do so with the support of new major donors, such as Mr Tsai Eng-Rung. Support for the sector is further encouraged by the recent top up of the Cultural Matching Fund[1] (CMF) by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). The consistent support by individuals and corporations has helped nurture a thriving arts community, backing passionate artists, talented arts groups and organisations to create an even more vibrant cultural landscape.
Supporting Our SG Arts Plan (2023 – 2027) through giving
The launch of Our SG Arts Plan (2023 - 2027) marks a new milestone for Singapore’s arts, as NAC invites the public, artists and stakeholders to join the making of an even more inclusive, vibrant arts scene that is filled with opportunity.
With partnerships underpinning our efforts for the next five years, strong support from arts patrons will continue to be important to our arts community in artistic pursuits that showcase Singapore as a distinctive city of the arts. Mr Low Eng Teong, Chief Executive Officer of NAC, said, “Singapore’s arts have inspired and uplifted our communities across generations, with arts giving enabling the growth of the sector over the past 40 years. We hope for more individuals and corporations to come forward, so that we can harness the resources of the public, people and private sectors in the making of a strong and sustainable arts ecosystem for all to enjoy.”
POAA 2023 recognises contributions made between 1 January and 31 December 2022 and is a celebration of our arts patrons. Come and join the making of a vibrant art ecosystem here: https://www.nac.gov.sg/support/giving-to-the-arts.
High resolution images may be found in this Digital Media Kit: https://bit.ly/POAA2023
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Annex A: About Patron of the Arts Award and Overview of Contributions
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Annex B: List of POAA 2023 Awardees
[1] Established by MCCY, the CMF provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants for private cash donations to registered charities in the arts and heritage sector. It aims to encourage giving to our arts and heritage sector.
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For media queries, please contact:
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Aneesha Shetty Associate Tate Anzur |
Gladys Chong Assistant Manager Strategic Communications & Marketing National Arts Council |
Annex A: About POAA and Overview of Contributions
About The Patron of The Arts Awards
The Patron of the Arts Awards was instituted in 1983 to recognise organisations and individuals that have contributed towards the promotion of cultural and artistic activities in Singapore. The Patron of the Arts Awards 2023 recognises contributions made between 1 January and 31 December 2022
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Award Categories for Organisations Cash and In-Kind Contributions |
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Award Categories for Individuals Cash and In-Kind Contributions |
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Award Categories for Corporates & Individuals Artwork and Loan Artefacts |
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Overview of 2022 Contributions
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Total Number of Awardees |
Total Amount Awarded |
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404 |
$ 45.06M |
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Categories |
Contributions |
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Distinguished Patron of the Arts Award |
Patron of the Arts Award |
Friend of the Arts Award |
Supporter of the Arts Award |
Cash |
In-Kind |
Loans |
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34 |
46 |
323 |
1 |
$25.47M |
$19.29M |
$0.3M |
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Type of Patrons |
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Organisation |
Individual |
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91 |
313 |
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2 organisations received the Honorary Patron of the Arts Award
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4 organisations and 30 individuals received the Distinguished Patron of the Arts Award
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12 organisations and 34 individuals received the Patron of the Arts Award
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75 organisations and 248 individuals received the Friend of the Arts Award
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1 individual received the Supporter of the Arts Award
Annex B: List of POAA 2023 Awardees
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Honorary Patron of the Arts |
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Organisations (Received DPOA at least 20 times) |
Individuals (Received DPOA at least 20 times) |
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UOB SPH Media |
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Distinguished Patron of the Arts |
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Organisations (Contributions of $1,500,000 and above) |
Individuals (Contributions of $100,000 and above) |
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The Liu Kuo-sung Foundation The Ngee Ann Kongsi UOB UOL-PPHG |
Andreas Teoh Cheryl Loh Chew Sutat Chiu Sin Chuen Albert Christopher & Rosy Ho Christopher Chuah Finian & Fiona Tan Goh Yew Lin Goh-Tan Choo Leng Harrisfazila Zaidi Hsieh Fu Hua Kris Foundation - Kris Tan Lay Peng Lew Chee Beng Lim Keen Ban Loh Siew Hock Ng Kok Song Ong Cheng Kian, Dr. Ong Sin Jen & Ong Sin Wei Patrick Lee Ng Siew Quan Sybil Lau Teo Hark Piang (Zhang Xuebin) The Late Mr Sim Wong Hoo The Late Mr William Lim & Mrs Lena Lim Thip Sae-tang Wu Hsioh Kwang Zhong Sheng Jian |
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Patron of the Arts |
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Organisations (Contributions between $300,000 and $1,499,999) |
Individuals (Contributions between $50,000 and $99,999) |
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Bloomberg Ho Bee Foundation JCDecaux Singapore Pte Ltd JPL Consultants Pte Ltd Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd Marina Bay Sands Orchard Turn Retail Investment Pte Ltd (ION Orchard) SMRT Corporation Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Warner Bros. Discovery |
Ang Jwee Herng Arnoud De Meyer Audrey Leong Conrad Lim & Andrea Giam Dr & Mrs Antoine & Christina Firmenich Foo Kok Wan Goh Way Siong (Max) James Toh Janek Schergen Jim Amberson Jin Zhenfang Kwok Kian Woon Lynette Lim Marie Elaine Teo Mr & Mrs Victor & Michelle Sassoon Chua Ngak Yen, Vincent Nicholas Nash Ong Long Osbert Lyman Poh Choon Ann Priscila Teo Rodney Hyland Sheila Lim Shiv And Roopa Dewan Tan Cheng Gay Tan Kah Tee Tan Lee Kum Teo Kiang Ang The Santosa Family Vivian Chandran Ye Cheng Zhong Yeo Eng Koon |
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Friend of the Arts |
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Organisations (Contributions between $50,000 and $299,999) |
Individuals (Contributions between $10,000 and $49,999) |
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3 Embers Culinary Craft Pte Ltd Alfa Tech Asia Allen & Overy LLP AMC Asia (SG) Pte. Ltd. Ang Chin Moh Funeral Directors Pte Ltd Asian Medical Foundation Ltd Avarga Limited AVS Printing Pte. Ltd. Binjaitree BNP Paribas C K Holdings (2003) Pte Ltd Citibank N.A Singapore CLS International (1993) Pte Ltd Cross Ratio Entertainment DBS Bank Ltd Deloitte Singapore Deutsche Bank DP Designs Pte Ltd EFG Bank AG Elmwood Group Private Limited EnGro Corporation Limited ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Foundation Of Rotary Clubs (Singapore) Ltd Frasers Hospitality Pte Ltd Garena Online Pte Ltd Gojek Singapore Golden Compass School Pte. Ltd. GRANDE DELTA PTE. LTD. Heart Media Pte Ltd Holywell Foundation Limited Hong Leong Foundation IMC Group Asia (S'pore) Pte. Ltd. JCCI SINGAPORE FOUNDATION LIMITED Johnson & Johnson Foundation Lam Soon Singapore Pte Ltd Leung Kai Fook Medical Co Pte Ltd M1 Limited Mingxin Foundation Mocha Chai Laboratories Mtm Skincare Pte Ltd NCS Pte Ltd NTT Asia Pacific Pte Ltd OCBC Bank Orange Clove Catering Pte Ltd OUE Foundation Overseas Movie Pte Ltd Pacific Eagle Group Pte Ltd Poco Productions Pte. Ltd. Poh Tiong Choon Logistic Limited PSA International Pte Ltd Royal Bank of Canada Samsung Electronics Singapore Pte Ltd SINGAPORE AIRLINES Singapore Chinese Chamber Of Commerce Foundation Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Singapore International Foundation Singapore Lam Ann Association Sound Trading (1975) Pte Ltd SPH Media SRKK Consulting SymAsia Singapore Fund Takasago International (Singapore) Pte Ltd Tan Chin Tuan Foundation Tan Ean Kiam Foundation Tanoto Foundation Tatler Asia (Singapore) Pte Limited The Grace Shua And Jacob Ballas Charitable Trust The Show Company Unisource SG Family Pte Ltd Wipro Limited Singapore branch Yong Hon Kong Foundation |
Aaron Boey Abha Kaul Aileen Tang Alan & Sylvia Wang Alan Chan Alexey Rumyantsev Alexia Robless Alice Koh Koon Hwee Alvin De Souza Ang Ziqian Angelia Lee Angeline Chin Anita Fam Annabelle Yip Anne Lee Arthur E H Lim Arthur Fong Barbra Gan Bernard Ryan Bernard Toh Betty Lau & Piyanuch Pramotedham Bianca Cheo Hui Hsin Brandon Gohel Calvin Sim Eng Hon Cavazos Tinajero Family Cham Tao Soon Chan Heng Chee Chang Yee Lee, Lyn Chase Ma Chen Ping Chew Kheng Chuan Chia Chor Meng Chng Hak-Peng Chong Chan Meng & Lim Sing Yuen Chong Chan Yee Chong Kar Shin Choo Chek Siew Christian Duhain Chua Kee Teang Chua Khee Chin Chua Leong Hai Chua Soo Bin Clarence Pooplasingam Clement Piak Daniel Lim Daniel Teo Danny Tan Koon Meng Darren & Vanessa Iloste Darren Cheng & Jenny Tay Daryl Chiang Daryl Neo David & Catherine Zemans David Ramli David Yang Eng Guan Dennis Au & Geraldine Choong Dorian Goh Ka Sin Doris Sohmen-Pao Dr & Mrs Choy Khai Meng Duncan Kauffman Dusan Stefan Stojanovic Eddy Ooi Edmund & Jazz Eng Tow Eric Tan Esmond Loon Euan Murugasu Felicia Fu Francois Dubrulle Gautam And Basabi Banerjee Geh Min Geoffrey & Ai Ai Wong Geraldine Limpo Ghim Bok Chew Gog Soon Joo Goh Gek Liang Goh Hock Ho Goh Kok Huat Goh Swee Chen Goi Kok Ming, Kenneth Gouw Kim San Gralf Sieghold Gurpreet Dhillon Guy & Henny Scott He Jiaxin Ivan Tan Jacinta Tay Jacqueline Ho, Esq Jan Hau & Katrina Janice Koh Janice Rose & Joachim H Kehr Jason Coates Jeremy Monteiro Jerry Chang Joshua Ip Joy Tan Whei Mien Julian Chang Ke Hongjing Kenneth Tan Jhu Hwa Khoo Bee Geok Mavis Khoo Hang Choong Khoo Ken Hee Koh Hong Yap, Kelvin Koh Sauk Keow Kris Wiluan Kuok Suon Kwong Kusnadi Wei Lau Kam Yuen Laura Hwang Cheng Lin Lauren & Richard Nijkerk Lee Aik Seng Lee Hoo Leng Lee Kin Hong Lee Li-Ming Lee Tzu Yang Lee Woon Shiu Li Li Lim Cheng Eng Lim Chin Boon Lim Chye Huat, Bobby Linda Kawaratani Linus Goh Lisa & Hervé Pauze Lisa Latip Liu Chee Ming Loh Jian Hao Low Kah Buay Magnus Keith Yu-Jene Mah Lan Ying Maih Lan Ying Mary & Raj Rajkumar Matthew Teng Mavis Lim Geck Chin Michael Hwang Michelangelo Samson Mohamed Imran Bin Mohamed Taib Mohamed Ismail S/O Abdul Gafoore Mr Han Seng Juan & Mrs Susanna Han N Sreenivasan Ng Hoy Keng Nicole Wang Noreen Chan Oei Hong Leong Oh Benny Keh Chai Olivier Lim Tse Ghow Ong Han Cheong Ong Yu-En Paige Parker & Jim Rogers Pak Geok Choo Pang Kok Lian Pang Lim Paul Ng Pauline Gan Peter Seah Phua Lay Peng Denise Pierre Lorinet Priscylla Shaw Priyalatha Naidu Rachel Teo Kah Chee Raj Mishra Rajan Menon Raymond Tham Richard & Marjorie Lee Leong Richard Hoon Richard Koh Rogerio Bernardo Ronald Wong Sally Liew Samuel Lim Shruti Lohia Hora Soh Gim Teik Soo Chek William Quek Sriram Vaidhyanathan Stephan Repkow Stuart James Mclelland Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin Tan Hsiao Wei Tan Keng Keng Tan Sook Yee Tan Wan Chye Tan Yew Lin Tee Kim Leng Teo Eng Seng Teo Kien Boon Teo Kok Woon Teo Ngiang Heng Terence C W Lim The Late Mrs Barbara June Tresise Timothy Sebastian Toshihiko Takahashi Tsai Eng Rung Valerie Velasco Vemala Rajamanickam Vijay Rajeswari Vignesh Wang Lili Wang Qian Wang Renqiang Wang Yan Wee Siew Kim Wee Wei Ling Whang Tae Ho William & Mavis Tok William Koh Chee Wei Willow Phua Brest Winston Kwek & Valerie Cheah Winston Tan Wong Hong Ching Wong Huey Fang Wong Lok Hiong Woo Chee Chay Wu Ee Tsien Wu Peihui Yap Li Jian Joe Yap Seng Teck Yap Teow Hiong Yasmin Zahid Yeap Lam Yang Yeo Eng Huat Yin Hwang Yong Ying-I Yuen Miu Fun Nancy Yvonne Sim Yvonne Tham Zaibun Siraj & Paul Drayson Zhang Yan |
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Supporter of the Arts |
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Organisations (Artwork and Loan Artefacts contributions below $1,000,000) |
Individuals (Artwork and Loan Artefacts contributions below $1,000,000) |
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Jackson See |
Note: Recipients who wish to remain anonymous are not listed.