Question Analysis:
Possible Ideas:
Legend:
SV = Supporting Viewpoint
OV = Opposing Viewpoint
Sample Paragraphs:
(OV 1)
Nationalists may argue that the arts in Singapore should focus on local talent rather than foreign talent as the necessary resources and attention ensure that more individuals, particularly youth, are qualified for employment opportunities in arts-related and creative sectors. Indeed, I acknowledge that in Singapore where pursuing arts as a career is frowned upon, supporting budding, local artists to develop their artistic potential at a professional level can result in them making significant contributions to Singapore’s arts scene in the future. In comparison, Singapore should not cultivate foreign talent as many of these individuals who are non-committal to the nation may likely return to their country of origin and not provide significant benefits to raising the standards of the local arts scene. Thus, to encourage young local artists, there are notable awards such as the Young Artist Award given out by the National Arts Council annually to recognise artistic excellence and their contributions by youth aged 35 years old and below. Additionally, a non-profit organisation called Voices of Singapore regularly puts out mentorship programmes and workshops to train vocal artists as it aims to grow a community of local musicians. Such initiatives, spearheaded by both authorities and organisations alike, are active attempts to grow a musically inclined community, contributing to the artistic landscape in Singapore. If our society were to not focus on local talent and delegate resources and attention to encouraging the local arts scene, Singapore would continue to be known as a country that has a lacklustre artistic landscape. Thus, whilst I am of the opinion that both local and foreign talents should be given due attention, I concede that young, local talent needs to be given priority in order to ensure our country’s artistic landscape thrive in the future.
(Transition Statement + SV 1)
Despite the importance of focusing on local talent, collaborating with foreign talent, be it with individuals or large-scale productions, should not be neglected. This is because interactions between foreign talents from world-class exhibitions and local theatre and film production companies can help boost our country’s international standing. By solely focusing our efforts on local talents, Singapore may remain insular and isolated from international standards. Indeed, through exposing local talents to foreign arts, it raises the bar of competition and becomes an eye-opening and enriching experience that will ultimately still benefit the local artistic landscape, killing multiple birds with one stone. For example, Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) showcases performances from over 400 artists, both locally and internationally, in Singapore. It continues to be successful since its inception in 2020 as it enables individual artists worldwide to express their art form in both physical and online spaces, interacting with other like-minded individuals to continuously push the boundaries of their respective art forms. Other local festivals include Singapore Art Week and Singapore Biennale which have also received a warm welcome by locals who appreciate the arts. To ensure the arts scene remains vibrant in Singapore, not only should resources be given to collaborative works by artists but the general populace should also actively contribute to the arts scene by supporting such content and creative works. Thus, I argue that attention should be given to both the arts and foreign talent in our society due to the merits of collaboration.
Links for Reference:
https://www.nac.gov.sg/e-services/cultural-medallion-and-young-artist-award
