Silver Arts 2019: Creating Golden Memories with the Arts in Your Silver Age5 min read
Reading Time: 4 minutesAbout Silver Arts 2019:
Seniors and their loved ones can look forward to an exciting line-up of programmes at Silver Arts 2019, an annual festival dedicated to celebrating seniors and creative ageing in the arts. The festival line-up captures personal stories of seniors through music and dance performances, exhibitions, films and workshops as they connect meaningfully with their peers and across generations.
Into its eighth edition, this year’s festival, organised by the National Arts Council (NAC), will feature more than 30 programmes that take place island-wide from 5 to 29 September 2019. The festival marks a high point in the year-round programmes for seniors to discover their creativity as the arts enhances their social and emotional well-being. Close to 270 artists and arts groups are involved in the line-up of diverse and accessible arts programmes in English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and Chinese dialects, exploring themes that relate to audiences across different communities.
This edition also shines the spotlight on seniors, not just as performers and audiences, but as active collaborators and volunteers. Through a wide range of programmes designed to empower and engage the community, NAC hopes to strengthen their sense of identity and self-worth through the arts.
Ms Chua Ai Liang, Senior Director of Engagement and Participation at NAC says, “We are heartened to see seniors across different communities having deeper experiences in the arts and using it as a way to bond and express themselves. By learning from and being inspired by the artists, NAC hopes people across generations, cultures and abilities will connect through the arts, and celebrate the rich life experiences of our seniors.”
Programme Highlights:
The three highlight programmes at Silver Arts 2019 are by Siong Leng Musical Association, Wadah Seni Entertainment and The Philharmonic Winds.
- Siong Leng Musical Association’s An Evening of Nanyin Jazz (南爵士夜) merges Nanyin music with jazz and pop. Their performances will resonate with audiences both young and old through contemporary renditions of classic tunes such as Unforgettable Love (不了情) and The Evening Primrose (夜来香).
- Fans of romantic duets from classic and modern Malay films can look forward to Soulful Silver Screen Melodies (Sukma Irama Layar Perak), a Malay music concert headlined by singers such as Dato’ Yusni Hamid (Malaysia), Rudy Djoharnaen, and Eddy Ali. As a throwback to films from yesteryears, audiences will enjoy songs that transcend the times.
- The Philharmonic Youth Winds will join hands with veteran local jazz singer Robert Fernando and two seniors picked from an audition to present Those Were The Days, at an inter-generational concert that will appeal to families.
Two special short film commissions, Family Affairs and A Dream I Did Not Dream, will premiere this year, covering themes of family, relationships and reconciliation.
- Family Affairs is a Cantonese and Chinese film directed by acclaimed writer, producer, and director Chai Yee-Wei, in collaboration with a xinyao veteran and Chinese studies scholar Dr Liang Wern Foo.
- A Dream I Did Not Dream is a film about the rejuvenating power of time by award-winning director K. Rajagopal in collaboration with Dr Uma Rajan.
These two commissions are part of the Silver Films programme – a series of five short films and five feature films from Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Japan, and Taiwan.
Providing Deeper Engagement and Meaningful Participation
Other Efforts & Programmes:
Besides the main programmes, other efforts also underscore NAC’s commitment to engage seniors meaningfully in every aspect of the Silver Arts festival. For the first time, a group of 11 seniors was involved in the curation process of the Silver Films programme alongside Objectifs – Centre for Photography & Film. They were invited to review and vote for the final line-up, ensuring that films which better resonate with seniors would make the cut.
Silver Arts Ambassadors also play a key role at Silver Arts with more than 60 seniors coming forward every year, and many of them as returnees. They take on roles such as Front-of- House Stewards, Exhibition Hosts and Arts Champions. The Arts Champions will also betrained to use the Befriender’s Arts Toolkits to relate to their peers through art-making, and
this gives them a chance to give back through the arts as well.
Additionally, the Arts on the Move programmes will take place throughout the festival and are free for seniors and their loved ones to take part in. This includes:
- A walking trail through the Civic District, the distinctive arts and culture precinct
- An inter-generational photography workshop and performances at the NLB Plaza
- The new Date Your Grandparents campaign passport, where families and friends are encouraged to attend the festival together and participate in the various programmes to collect stamps which can be redeemed for unique collectibles
Ticketing Information:
Tickets for the following Silver Arts highlight programmes will be available via Sistic and Sistic ticketing counters:
- An Evening of Nanyin Jazz by Siong Leng Musical Association
- Sukma Irama Layar Perak (Soulful Silver Screen Melodies) by Wadah Seni Entertainment
- Those Were The Days by The Philharmonic Winds
Ticket prices are at $12 for standard ticket and $8 for concession ticket (aged 60 and above)
Tickets for Silver Films (Shorts and Features) will be available via the official Cathay Cineplexes website and Cathay Cineplexes ticketing counters.
Ticket prices are at $6 for standard ticket and $3 for concession ticket (aged 55 and above)
About Silver Arts
Silver Arts advocates the meaningful possibilities seniors have in the arts. Organised by the National Arts Council since 2012, Silver Arts is an annual festival dedicated to celebrating seniors and creative ageing. The festival presents collaborations between artists, arts organisations, and community partners to foster the arts into the lifestyles of seniors.
From performances to workshops, seniors can showcase their creative talents through co-created content or learn a new skill, enhancing their overall well-being. The festival offers opportunities for seniors to share their stories that shape our collective memories, and forge stronger inter-
generational understanding.
For more information on Silver Arts, visit their official website here.
About the National Arts Council
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, please visit their official website here.
