Mr Edmund Cheng; Chairman National Arts Council,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening.

Tonight we celebrate another important milestone in the development of Singapore arts and culture.  Tonight’s inauguration of this new Drama Centre offers interesting and exciting new possibilities for the theatre and drama community and other performing artists. This new venue will certainly add to the growing vibrancy and diversity of the arts.

Background

2          I am sure most if not all had fond memories of the old Drama Centre at Canning Rise. Some of you may have felt more than a pang of regret when it was announced towards the end of 2001, that the old Drama Centre had to be demolished to make way for the expansion of the Singapore History Museum. I hope that this evening as you stepped into this brand new Drama Centre those pangs of regret would have vanished to be replaced with a new sense of pride in this new performing arts venue.

A Better Arts Facility for a Global City for the Arts

3          This Drama Centre is Singapore’s first dedicated mid-sized performing arts space equipped with state-of-the-art stage, lighting and sound systems.  Besides a 615-seat proscenium theatre, it also hosts a black box and ancillary facilities suitable for exhibitions and rehearsals.  It is well positioned to meet the demands of the growing range of today’s performing artists and arts groups – from mid-sized theatrical presentations with stringent technical requirements, to intimate concerts, performances and exhibitions.  

4          The Drama Centre is an important addition to Singapore’s infrastructure of world-class arts venues.  Beyond meeting the needs of the local arts community for a mid-sized theatre, it also enhances the attractiveness of Singapore as a destination for international touring artists and arts companies.  It offers Singapore audiences a wider choice of home grown creative arts events to be supplemented by the best from around the world.

Life in an Global Arts City

5          Incorporating the Drama Centre in the National Library Building was not just an exercise in budget efficiency though there were certainly some cost savings. More importantly the integration of the Drama Centre with the National Library was a creative initiative to weave the arts and culture into the fabric of knowledge and make it an integral part of our life.  In time to come, this co-location should bring art performance audience to explore what else is on offer in this library. Likewise, library users may be enticed to venture into the theatre to see for themselves what surprises the arts have in store for them.    

6          The location of the Drama Centre, at the heart of the arts and entertainment district, is also another strategic move.  The Waterloo Street Arts Belt, which is part of the National Arts Council’s Arts Housing Scheme, is a stone’s throw away.  Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts is nearby. Just around the corner we have the LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts under construction.  In 2008, the dedicated arts school will open at nearby Kirk Terrace.  These exciting developments amidst various commercial businesses in the Bras Basah/Bugis area will form the crucible of Singapore’s artistic talent, creativity and learning.

7          Over and above these new arts institutions and facilities, we are also planning to renew older, treasured and well established venues for the performing arts such as the Victoria Theatre and the Victoria Concert Hall, each more than one hundred years old. They are both in need of refurbishment having served the arts very well over the past century. Today they looked rather worn and bear signs of their age. But these grand dames hold many of our fondest memories of concerts and other performances. We will give them the renewal they need so that they can take their rightful places among the rest of our new arts and cultural institutions to complete our network of historic and contemporary cultural venues.    

New Beginnings

8          I am delighted to know that some of the plays staged at the old Drama Centre will make a comeback here over the next few months.  Kuo Pao Kun’s Lao Jiu will be restaged as a musical and make its premiere on 11 November.  Michael Chiang’s Army Daze,   will be scheduled for April 2006.

9       Tonight’s inauguration of the Drama Centre serves get the festivities started.  From tonight to the joint official opening of the National Library Building and the Drama Centre on the 12 Nov by the President, there will be a week of performances and free events under the festival DC Celebrates!  This should serve as an exciting and entertaining introduction of this new venue to many Singaporeans.

Conclusion

10        The original Drama Centre was a critical player in Singapore’s theatre scene in the 80’s.  I am confident that the new Drama Centre will soon occupy an important place in Singapore’s performing arts landscape. I thank the National Arts Council and all those who had contributed to the development of the Drama Centre for their good work and now it leaves me to wish the team managing this beautiful new Drama Centre and the arts groups every success in your effort to breathe life into this theatre.

11        Thank you.