this loretta chen ex YPAP now wants to be NMP can she be considered independent?
Two voices for the arts community
Support for The Substation’s Audrey Wong and theatre director Loretta Chen
Mayo Martin
[email protected]
MAY Day on Friday was also D-Day for the local arts community as 106 actors, directors, writers and other members of the industry put forth their candidates for the post of Nominated Member of Parliament.
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Theatre director Loretta Chen, 32, and The Substation co-artistic director Audrey Wong, 41, are the two names the online community group ArtsNMP will present this weekend to National Arts Council CEO Edmund Cheng to consider for endorsement.
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Mr Cheng is the coordinator of the functional group for sports, media and arts organisations.
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A makeshift election between three candidates was held at TheatreWorks at Mohamad Sultan Road. With “voters” allowed to pick up to two names, Ms Chen and Ms Wong garnered 82 and 39 votes respectively.
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The other candidate, Robert Liew, former artistic director of the Singapore Arts Festival and current president of the Association of Concert and Event Managers Singapore, garnered 28 votes.
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“It’s quite an amazing experience. (To have) everybody in the same room together, with a common purpose is not something you see every day,” said Ms Wong.
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Added Ms Chen: “The whole process is very humbling. It speaks volumes that the arts community has banded together.”
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Mr Liew said he was still considering whether to submit his name in an independent capacity.
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Television producer and media veteran Tony Chow, who pulled out of Friday’s proceedings at the last minute, has indicated he may apply independently as well.
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Before the voting process, the three candidates were given time to present their case and were later grilled by the audience in an hour-long question-and-answer session.
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The questions ranged from how they plan to engage the arts community to the topic of their hypothetical maiden speech in Parliament and even what they would discuss with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew should they ever have a one-on-one session with him.
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One audience member asked if the soft-spoken Ms Wong was “too quiet” for Parliament. “The arts community will not allow me to be quiet,” she replied.
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As for how it would affect their current artistic endeavours, Ms Wong said she had cleared the decision with The Substation’s board of directors, and they are now “looking at some transition or change of role for me”.
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As for Ms Chen, who is artistic director of theatre group Zebra Crossing, she quipped: “We’re good at multi-tasking.”
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But the two women have taken only the first step in the NMP selection process, which includes an interview with a Special Select Committee of Parliament.
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The organisers of yesterday’s nomination added that if Mr Cheng does not nominate either of their candidates, they will encourage the pair to stand independently.
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Ms Wong, who said the position of an NMP would give a “public profile” to the arts, added: “The arts has always been a space where diversity is managed and expressed.”
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Ms Chen also pointed out issues like transparency in policy matters and better representation in advisory committees that deal with the arts.
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“But the first thing to do is to pick up the forms,” she quipped.
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The deadline for nominations is May 11.
Two voices for the arts community
Support for The Substation’s Audrey Wong and theatre director Loretta Chen
Mayo Martin
[email protected]
MAY Day on Friday was also D-Day for the local arts community as 106 actors, directors, writers and other members of the industry put forth their candidates for the post of Nominated Member of Parliament.
.
Theatre director Loretta Chen, 32, and The Substation co-artistic director Audrey Wong, 41, are the two names the online community group ArtsNMP will present this weekend to National Arts Council CEO Edmund Cheng to consider for endorsement.
.
Mr Cheng is the coordinator of the functional group for sports, media and arts organisations.
.
A makeshift election between three candidates was held at TheatreWorks at Mohamad Sultan Road. With “voters” allowed to pick up to two names, Ms Chen and Ms Wong garnered 82 and 39 votes respectively.
.
The other candidate, Robert Liew, former artistic director of the Singapore Arts Festival and current president of the Association of Concert and Event Managers Singapore, garnered 28 votes.
.
“It’s quite an amazing experience. (To have) everybody in the same room together, with a common purpose is not something you see every day,” said Ms Wong.
.
Added Ms Chen: “The whole process is very humbling. It speaks volumes that the arts community has banded together.”
.
Mr Liew said he was still considering whether to submit his name in an independent capacity.
.
Television producer and media veteran Tony Chow, who pulled out of Friday’s proceedings at the last minute, has indicated he may apply independently as well.
.
Before the voting process, the three candidates were given time to present their case and were later grilled by the audience in an hour-long question-and-answer session.
.
The questions ranged from how they plan to engage the arts community to the topic of their hypothetical maiden speech in Parliament and even what they would discuss with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew should they ever have a one-on-one session with him.
.
One audience member asked if the soft-spoken Ms Wong was “too quiet” for Parliament. “The arts community will not allow me to be quiet,” she replied.
.
As for how it would affect their current artistic endeavours, Ms Wong said she had cleared the decision with The Substation’s board of directors, and they are now “looking at some transition or change of role for me”.
.
As for Ms Chen, who is artistic director of theatre group Zebra Crossing, she quipped: “We’re good at multi-tasking.”
.
But the two women have taken only the first step in the NMP selection process, which includes an interview with a Special Select Committee of Parliament.
.
The organisers of yesterday’s nomination added that if Mr Cheng does not nominate either of their candidates, they will encourage the pair to stand independently.
.
Ms Wong, who said the position of an NMP would give a “public profile” to the arts, added: “The arts has always been a space where diversity is managed and expressed.”
.
Ms Chen also pointed out issues like transparency in policy matters and better representation in advisory committees that deal with the arts.
.
“But the first thing to do is to pick up the forms,” she quipped.
.
The deadline for nominations is May 11.
