FOFA » Forum 2024

NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL ART THOUGHT LEADERSHIP FORUM 2024

PROGRAMME

Theme: Creative Regions, Creative Economies

Welcome to the 2nd edition of the NAC Art Thought Leadership Forum, a cornerstone event of the Singapore Art Week (SAW), set to unfold on 18 January 2024. Under the theme “Creative Regions, Creative Economies,” this exclusive forum provides a dynamic stage for esteemed Singaporean and international leaders from various sectors to engage in pivotal dialogues about fostering sustainable strategies for enhancing urban cultural and artistic vibrancy.

In an era where creativity is increasingly recognized as a key driver of urban development and economic prosperity, the complexity and evolving nature of culture pose intriguing challenges and opportunities. Our forum endeavours to unravel these layers, offering insights into the multifaceted cultural and creative ecosystem. Through a series of thought-provoking discussions, expert-led panels, and in-depth case studies, we aim to merge diverse perspectives from management, governance, policymaking, and cultural understanding.

Join us in this enlightening journey as we navigate the intricate interplay of culture and creativity in shaping the future of cities and regions.

8.30am
Registration & Breakfast Buffet
All participants to be seated by 8.50am.

8.55am
Welcome Address

9.00am
Opening Remarks by Guest-of-Honour, Minister Edwin Tong
Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth

9.10am
Keynote – Creative Regions, Creative Economies
Prof. Pratt’s keynote delves into how cities are transitioning from investment-driven to creativity-centric models. He underscores the growing role of the creative economy in innovation and local differentiation. Emphasising the management of creative ecosystems and learning from COVID-19’s impact, Pratt advocates for a regional approach in developing culturally rich, interconnected cities, highlighting Singapore’s unique potential in this global shift.

This will be followed by a moderated Q&A session.

Keynote Speaker:
Prof. Andy Pratt
UNESCO Chair of Global Creative Economy, Director of the Centre of Culture and the Creative Industries, and Professor of Cultural Economy, City, University of London

Moderated by:
Ning Chong
Founder and Director of Family Office For Art (FOFA)

10.10am
Coffee Break

10.30am
Panel – Creative Cities: Thinking Creatively and Competing Globally
This panel discussion features prominent speakers from Bandung, Seoul, and Abu Dhabi, exploring strategies for cities to foster creativity and compete on the global stage. This session delves into diverse urban experiences, highlighting innovative approaches to cultural development and economic competitiveness. The panellists will share insights on leveraging local strengths to build dynamic, globally connected urban ecosystems, facilitating a rich exchange of ideas across these distinct cultural landscapes.

Speakers:
Reem Fadda
Director, Cultural Foundation and Abu Dhabi Cultural Sites, Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi

Tita Larasati
Lecturer/Research at Industrial Product Design Program, Faculty of Art and Design, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), who is also the focal point for Bandung City of Design, UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

Daehyung Lee
Director of Hzone, Seoul, South Korea

Moderated by:
Ning Chong
Founder and Director of Family Office For Art (FOFA)

12.00pm
End of Programme

SPEAKER BIOS

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Andy previously established the first Department of Culture and the Creative Industries in the world at King’s College London. He previously taught at LSE, and UCL, and had held visiting professor positions at many institutions including SMU (Singapore) and ZHdK/ETH, Zurich.

He specialises in the analysis of the cultural industries globally. This research has three strands. The first focuses on the social and economic dynamics of clustering and knowledge exchange. The second strand concerns the definition and measurement of employment in the cultural, or creative, industries. The third concerns cultural governance and policy making at the national, regional and urban scales. He has worked with UNESCO, UNCTAD, WIPO, the World Bank and many national and city governments on these topics.

His current research concerns trans-local cultural production chains and is funded by EU Horizon 2020 https://cicerone-project.eu. He has previously explored projects on urban creative economy, clustering, knowledge transfer, innovation and creativity. He has worked with UNESCO, UNCTAD, WIPO and many national and city governments on these topics. Until 2023 he was Editor-in-Chief of the international interdisciplinary journal City, Culture and Society.

PANEL SPEAKERS

Reem Fadda (b. Kuwait, 1979; lives and works in Abu Dhabi) is a curator and art historian. From 2010 to 2016, Fadda worked at the Guggenheim Museum as Associate Curator, Middle Eastern Art, Abu Dhabi Project. From 2005 to 2007, Fadda was Director of the Palestinian Association for Contemporary Art (PACA), Ramallah and served as Academic Director for the International Academy of Art Palestine, Ramallah. She has curated many international exhibitions and biennials, including Jerusalem Lives (Tahya Al Quds), The Palestinian Museum, Birzeit (2017); Not New Now, 6th Marrakech Biennale, (2016) and the United Arab Emirates National Pavilion, 55th Venice Biennale (2013), Desert X Al Ula (2022), Saudi Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale (2022). Fadda was awarded the eighth Walter Hopps Award for Curatorial Achievement in 2017 and is an Alumni of the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum. In addition to her role as Director of the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi she is currently also Director of Culture Programming at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi overseeing Public Art Abu Dhabi, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Art, and the Music Programme. She is appointed as the Curator of the first edition of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024.

Dwinita (Tita) Larasati studied industrial product design at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Design Academy Eindhoven, and Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. She is the Focal Point of Bandung City of Design, UNESCO Creative Cities Network; an Expert Board of Bandung Creative Economy Committee (Create.bdg), and an Advisor to the West Java Creative Economy and Innovation Committee (KREASI Jabar). She is an Executive Committee at Indonesia Creative Cities Network (ICCN), a member of the Global Creative Economy Council, UK, and The Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI). She currently works as a lecturer & researcher at ITB, and in her spare time she creates and publishes graphic diary.

Lee Daehyung, founder of Hzone, is globally recognized for curating innovative art projects. His significant achievements include the CONNECT, BTS project, collaborating with Serpentine Galleries, Gropius Bau, CCK, Brooklyn Bridge Foundation, and DDP, involving 22 artists like Antony Gormley, Tomás Saraceno, Bill Fontana, and Yiyun Kang. He directed the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale with artists Cody Choi and Lee Wan and was the art director for Hyundai Motor Company, partnering with Tate, MMCA, LACMA, and Bloomberg. Lee is on the boards of the Nam June Paik Cultural Foundation and Art Center Nabi, serves on the advisory board for the ArtScience Museum in Singapore, and was an executive co-producer for Nam June Paik’s film “Moon Is the Oldest TV,” screened at venues like the Guggenheim and MoMA in 2023.

MODERATOR

Ning Chong founded Family Office For Art in Jan 2022, a boutique advisory company to assist private and corporate collections with art collection management, building a collection, estate planning and to preserve their art wealth.

In 2017, Ning co-founded The Culture Story with her father Mr Chong Huai Seng, with a vision to create a privately-led gallery that delivers exciting programmes centred around art. We organise high-quality art exhibitions and talks in our private art space, which also serves as a platform to build a community, promote art appreciation and connoisseurship.

Over the last decade, Ning has established her reputation as one who understands the intricacies of the dynamic art market. Ning has contributed articles, given radio and TV interviews, participated and moderated in numerous panel discussions about the art market, collecting art and legacy planning.

She received a BSc in Economics and Economic History from the London School of Economics, and a Masters in Modern and Contemporary Art from Christie’s Education in London. Currently, Ning and her father jointly drive the acquisition strategy for their family art collection and she is a patron of the National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum.

ORGANISERS

The National Arts Council champions the arts in Singapore. By nurturing creative excellence and supporting broad audience engagement, our diverse and distinctive arts inspire our people, connect communities and profile Singapore internationally. We preserve our rich, cultural traditions as we cultivate accomplished artists and vibrant companies for the future.

Our support for the arts is comprehensive – from grants and partnerships to industry facilitation and arts housing. The Council welcomes greater private and corporate giving to and through the arts so that together we can make the arts an integral part of everyone’s lives. For more information on the Council’s mission and plans, visit www.nac.gov.sg.

Family Office For Art is the first independent specialist advisor for Art Wealth in Singapore with its own Art Collection. Based in Singapore, the enterprise offers the full spectrum of art advisory services in Asia, designed to accommodate the growing needs of a diverse clientele, whether it is assisting an established collector who wishes to pass on his legacy to the next generation or provide expert guidance for a first-time buyer. Helmed by Ning Chong and Chong Huai Seng, we are independent art advisers with a wide network of art specialists and experts in Asia and beyond. For more information, please visit www.fofa.asia.

As Singapore’s signature visual arts season, Singapore Art Week (SAW) represents the unity and pride of a diverse and vibrant arts community in Singapore.

From 19 to 28 January 2024, SAW 2024 will present an array of over 130 art events featuring new works and transnational collaborations across the island and online. In its 12th edition, the ten-day celebration of the visual arts will showcase two dynamic art fairs, S.E.A. Focus and the inaugural ART SG; the Southeast Asian premier of The 5th VH AWARD Exhibition; a diverse range of practices that will present new ways of living and sharing; as well as a vibrant Light to Night in the Civic District. SAW is a nexus for creative collaborations and audiences can look forward to an exciting line-up of art experiences at our museums, galleries, independent art spaces and public spaces, and enjoy enriching discussions, talks, walks and tours.

SAW 2024, a celebration of Singapore’s lively art landscape, is helmed by the National Arts Council (NAC).