How The Arts and Culture Sector Could Vitalise Singapore’s Economy

By Li Yen

One of the advantages of government support for arts and culture is its limitless potential to spur sustainable development and create job opportunities.

Imagine there wasn’t an interest in art in Europe during the Renaissance. Would Europe still be what it is today?

Suppose there is no ‘David’ – the Renaissance masterpiece by Michelangelo in the Accademia Gallery, and suppose Florentine artists did not produce mind-blowing masterpieces and awe-inspiring architecture like ‘Il Duomo di Firenze’ (The Dome of Florence Cathedral). Would there be 13 million visitors swarming into the ‘cradle of the Renaissance’ in 2014?

And if Leonardo Da Vinci did not paint the world’s most famous masterpiece – the ‘Mona Lisa’ – 9.3 million tourists won’t be flocking to the Louvre Museum in Paris each year and making a beeline for the artwork of outstanding beauty.

According to Cultural Times, the cultural and creative industries generate an estimated US$250 billion (S$360 billion) in revenue a year, creating 29.5 million jobs globally. Industries in the creative sector include fine arts, film, television, music, design, publishing and fashion.

“The arts are not an optional extra – they’re fuelling our economy,” said Mr John Kampfner, chief executive of the Creative Industries Federation.

Commenting on British creative industries that contribute £80bn (S$141bn) to Britain’s economy, Mr Kampfner told The Guardian: “The creative industries – from music to fashion, from theatre to video games, from architecture to publishing – help to make Britain great. They define our soft power around the world; they make our towns and cities more liveable and likeable.”

In Singapore, the arts and culture sector was estimated to have contributed approximately S$1.6 billion to the economy in value-added terms in 2013. The figure has burgeoned from S$43 million in 1986 and S$922 million in 2003, as stated in Singapore Cultural Statistics 2015 Report.

Those employed in the arts and culture sector, namely visual arts (30%), literary arts (25%) and performing arts (24%), rose from 23,770 in 2009 to 27,436 in 2014.

South Korea: An Asian Exemplar

South Korea is an Asian exemplar that demonstrates a good rationale for the Singapore government’s investment in our arts and culture sector.

Over the last decade, South Korea’s film and music industry has boosted Korea’s culture and ignited the interest of foreigners.

The South Korean drama ‘Descendants of the Sun’ took the world by storm in 2016, and has been sold to over 32 countries worldwide. The advertising revenue from its first eight episodes has surpassed 240 million yuan (S$50 million).

That said, the onset of the ‘Korean wave’ or ‘Hallyu’ was sparked as early as 2000.

From ‘Autumn in My Heart’ in 2000, ‘Winter Sonata’ in 2002, ‘Jewel in the Palace’ in 2003, to the recent ‘My Love from the Star’ and ‘Descendants of the Sun’, these drama serials have tugged at the heartstrings of many viewers and have in turn elicited the ‘Korean wave’, which has been revitalising Korea’s economy and tourism industry.

Sales of Korean cosmetics have also surged due to the ‘Hallyu’ that continues to sweep across the globe.

The vibrancy of Korea’s arts and culture scene is most likely the subsequent genesis of its globally popular k-pop music, television and film industry.

In South Korea, the arts and culture scene is rich and exciting. I was amazed at how well Korea has preserved its traditional culture when I visited the country a few years back.

South Korea has been superlatively successful in preserving the quintessence of Chinese culture, especially the essence and core values of the Han and Tang dynasties of China.

I was intrigued by the endless stream of arts and culture activities available, such as the Miso performance, which showcases traditional Korean dance, including farmers’ dance at Jeongdong Theatre, as well as Korean pansori opera at Unhyeongung Palace.

Climbing the fascinating Namsan Mountain – an open-air museum in Gyeongju with over 100 temples, 80 Buddha sculptures engraved on stones or cliffs, and 60 stone pagodas from the Silla Kingdom (57BCE – 935CE) spread across the mountainside – and staying at a traditional Korean-style guesthouse in Bukchon Hanok Village were also memorable for me in my sojourn there.

Traditional arts and culture have been a good source of inspiration for Korean artists. For example, traditional Korean music is blended with contemporary music in well-known performances like ‘Nanta’ and ‘Gugak B-boy’.

Institute of International Relations researcher Tsai Zheng-jia of National Chengchi University, who has written a book to explore the Korean wave, told New York Epoch Times that Korean drama themes are diversified and enriched with the rich traditional culture of Korea.

For instance, ‘Jewel in the Palace’ narrated the story of a Korean historical figure, Jang-geum, who was the first and only woman to be employed by the King of the Joseon Dynasty as head physician. The historical period drama touched upon Korean traditional food and medicine, which drew a great number of tourists to its filming locations in Jeju Island, Korean Folk Village, and Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Palace.

Moreover, South Korea is an open and democratic country, as juxtaposed with Hong Kong, as the latter’s film industry has been restrained by the mainland’s values, political environment and censorship.

“If you’ve never lost, you’re able to think out of the box. But once your thinking is shackled, the Muses, the Greek goddesses of creativity, will leave. The Muses have left Hong Kong,” Tsao said.

‘Jewel in the Palace’ actress Lee Young-ae told Hong Kong’s Ming Pao newspaper that the ‘Korean Wave’ could only happen because South Korea is a democracy.

“Korea’s cultural development closely followed its political development. From the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, we made it step by step gradually from closed to open, and that contributed to today’s prosperity,” said the Korean superstar in an interview.

Additionally, Tsai believes Korea’s success is also the result of the relentless promotion, funding and support administered by the Korean government. However, with the current South Korean president’s corruption scandal, it has been revealed that 9,000 artists were ‘blacklisted’ in South Korea for opposing President Park Geun-hye, according to International Business Times (IBT).

“The government’s effort to restrict artists is something that took place several decades ago, but this has been replayed in the 21st century,” poet Ko Un told The Korea Times, as reported in IBT on Dec 29. “The foolish acts of the current administration have resulted in a huge tragedy for the country.”

Could Singapore Emulate This Soft Power Approach?

Overall, the Korean wave is still going strong.

Could Singapore emulate this soft power approach and exert the same influence around the world, which could bring about heaps of job opportunities as well as a strong stimulus to our stagnant economy?

Understanding that a vibrant arts and culture scene is key in promoting the attractiveness of Singapore to foreign talent and businesses, the Ministry of Information and the Arts agencies and Singapore Tourism Board are putting forth plans to open up the economic potential of the arts and culture sector, comprising visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, film, photography, museums, galleries, heritage sites, libraries and festivals.

However, other than opening up more cultural venues and increasing attendances at cultural events, it is time to raise awareness about the value of arts and culture in our community.

Several art galleries have closed down in the past two years, as reported in a Straits Times article entitled ‘Growing pains for Singapore art market’. Gallerists attributed the closures to lack of local interest in the arts.

“My father says it is hard for art galleries to survive in Singapore,” said former gallerist Mr Howard Yu.

“Does the art gallery have a future in Singapore? It depends on how the nation sees it,” he added.

Hence, Singapore’s arts and culture scene cannot thrive without cultivating an openness and nurturing the local audience in arts appreciation through placing greater emphasis on arts and cultural education.