Honouring the resilience displayed by seniors and the arts community in these challenging times, through a variety of meaningful arts programmes that echo hope and continued possibilities. Honouring the resilience displayed by seniors and the arts community in these challenging times, through a variety of meaningful arts programmes that echo hope and continued possibilities
Senior participants in Silver Arts’ past Community Art Projects
Singapore, 25 August 2021 - The well-loved Silver Arts festival returns for its 10th edition from September to December 2021, and will be presenting more than 30 engaging programmes in hybrid format. Presented by the National Arts Council (NAC), this festival celebrates seniors and the meaningful possibilities that they can enjoy through the arts, and highlights the significance of arts engagement in enhancing the well-being of seniors and people around them.
Themed “TENacity”, Silver Arts 2021 forefronts messages of hope and continued possibilities, exemplified by seniors and the arts community in these difficult times. With programmes ranging from live performances, digital workshops and exhibitions organised in collaboration with more than 120 artists, arts organisations and community partners, this year’s festival also showcases the diversity of our artists who have been providing opportunities for seniors, their peers and loved ones to discover their creative potential through activities across various genres such as visual arts, music, dance and film. Seniors can expect a diverse line-up of programmes presented in English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and Chinese dialects, exploring themes that relate to senior audiences from different communities. Beyond the festival, year-round programmes from our community partners and cultural institutions continue to be accessible for example, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Moonfest – A Mid-Autumn Celebration, as well as a virtual introduction to iconic artworks by National Gallery Singapore.
“Last year, we were encouraged to see many seniors participating in the first-ever digital Silver Arts. With a hybrid edition this year, seniors can look forward to enjoying both exciting live shows and online arts programmes. We hope seniors will experience not only joy but connectedness as the rich offerings will also provide opportunities for them to bond with their friends and families while enjoying the programmes together. This special effort to bring the arts to seniors is made possible in collaboration with artists and community partners. Our tenth edition themed “TENacity” is inspired by the remarkable efforts and innovations of the arts community and their unwavering strength during this period.” said Elaine Ng, Senior Director of Engagement and Participation at NAC.”
Reliving The Magic of Live Performances
After last year’s fully digital edition, live performances are making a comeback this year with nine ticketed, in-venue shows by various arts groups, held in accordance with the latest safe management measures.
The ETCeteras' Curtain Call
Audiences can enjoy a specially commissioned humorous dialogue about death and farewells in The ETCeteras’ Mandarin play Curtain Call (后会无期). In addition, loyal fans will be pleased to know that four digital performances from last year’s festival have been adapted to be presented on stage. These include the fan-favourite repertoire of songs in Toy Factory Productions Ltd’s Old Songs of Redhill Market (红山脚下的歌谣); Wadah Seni Entertainment’s Keroncong Asmara (Romantic Keroncong); Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra’s (ACSO) Evergreen Symphonic Jukebox and a musical tribute to cultural icon Teresa Teng in Ding Yi Music Company’s I Only Care About You (我只在乎你).
For seniors looking for a trip down memory lane, they can attend live performances in theatres with their family and friends to indulge in nostalgic tunes. With a little something for everyone, they can groove to evergreen tunes from the 40s in SwingOUT Party by City Swing Big Band, reminisce the golden age of Malay films with Gambar Kegemaran, serenade loved ones with songs of yesteryear in Oldies but Goodies (黄金今曲) and join an intergenerational jam session to the tunes of the 60s and 70s in Music Hall: That’s My Jam by Broadband.
Lim Hai Yen, Artistic Director of The ETCeteras, said “With a growing sense of social isolation and loneliness in the community, we see these live performances as a meaningful addition to our seniors’ lives and routines, and a chance to spend time and enjoy the arts with their loved ones. This makes going the extra mile to create tailored programmes for seniors while ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all, so worthwhile.”
Interactive Offerings On A Digital Platform
To ensure the safety and well-being of our seniors during the ongoing pandemic, selected programmes are held online for everyone to enjoy the best of arts and culture from anywhere and from the comforts of their homes. Our artists have been riding the digital wave the past year, overcoming challenges to present fresh, digital offerings that are highly interactive and engaging for audiences.
From left: Pathey Nimidam - 10-minute Tamil Plays and The Singing Chef by Irene Jansen and Family
Digital highlights include The Glowers Drama Group’s radio play series Chap Lau (十楼), an auditory experience that transports audiences to the heart of the kampong; a dynamic singing cook-along session in The Singing Chef by Irene Jansen and Family; an exclusive scoop about the lives and careers of veteran singers like Rahimah Rahim and Iskandar Ismail in Songs In Our Lives, and a virtual photography and writing workshop, Tiong Bahru: Walkshop with Young Artist Award recipient Marc Nair to discover Tiong Bahru. There will also be a series of artist-led workshops providing introductory lessons in lindy hop, acappella singing and handbells, amongst others. The full list of Silver Arts programmes can be found in Annex A.
Fostering Social Engagement Through The Arts
Guided by established artists, the new works created as part of the four Community Art Projects will be showcased in the form of online and physical exhibitions. These programmes encourage social bonding as families and different generations come together to participate and form new social connections. Participating seniors co-created with artists where some told their stories through an exploration of light, silhouette and shadows with their family members in Stories Beyond Us; and others boogied away with youth partners in a collaborative dance video Stop, Look, A-Go-Go!. The digital exhibitions will be available online till December 2021, and the physical exhibitions will be roving to three public libraries for viewing across multiple dates.
Besides actively involving them in the creation process, other Silver Arts initiatives underscore NAC’s commitment to have deeper engagement with seniors through the arts in every aspect of the festival for example, with seniors as festival volunteers. To advocate for the social value of the arts, the Arts & Ageing Circle platform will bring artists, partners, social and healthcare practitioners, and community leaders together to explore how the arts, health and social sectors can effectively engage our senior sector.
Seniors are encouraged to subscribe to the Silver Arts WhatsApp channel for regular updates on upcoming programmes or join the online programmes on the NAC’s Facebook Events page. Tickets for the nine in-venue programmes are free and available via SISTIC. Kindly refer to the festival calendars in the digital media kit or www.nac.gov.sg/silverarts for more information.