1964

Why 1964?

In formulating a theme, we sought to find a theme that was broad enough to encompass many issues, while also being specific enough to elicit personal responses from individuals across the community.

The theme 1964 was chosen for these reasons. With a strong historical reference, the theme would be able to elicit responses from the segment of the community least likely to participate in a contemporary arts endeavour – the age group comprising of people above 60 years old. It provided an easy entry point, that of personal recollection to involve the elders in the community in the project.

1964 was chosen also because of its relative distance from the present day in Ang Mo Kio. The town of Ang Mo Kio had yet to be founded, and the area comprised mainly of a little village and tropical jungle. This would provide rich material for youths to imagine and contrast their present surroundings and that of the past. It would allow them to explore why Ang Mo Kio has its name as well as explore wide-ranging themes such as change and modernisation, globalisation and close-knit communities, tradition and innovation.

Lastly, the 1960s was decisive in the formative years of Singapore’s history. It was an era where the local cultural industries of music and motion pictures had their heyday. They were also a time where many of the challenges of independence and nationhood were most acute. Instead of looking at the 1960s from the perspective of National Education via the celebration of national achievements since independence, we would like to set the stage for discussion of that arduous journey which led to the creation of the larger community of modern Singapore.

Project Description in Brief

To engage youths who have experience in some form of artistic exposure to build relations with the community in a single constituency.

Youths in collaboration with artists will facilitate and create 3 separate projects with 3 selected community groups.

The main aim is to not only to research and archive a mapping of Ang Mo Kio in the 1960s and the changes that have taken place till 2007, but also to generate an awareness of areas of social interest and significance in the lives of the community living in Ang Mo Kio.

The process of identification with the culture, needs and background of the local community also creates a unique opportunity for a more natural means of introducing a mature heartland community to the diversity of the arts landscape in Singapore.

It would also serve as a platform for cross-generational interaction using the medium of the arts for community bonding.

Consequently, the project hopes to engender the youths in understanding their constituency better and the impact they have on shaping the future of the community, thereby breaking down the barriers to entry, into accessing the arts.

Goals and Objectives

In creating a production of this scale, we hold several objectives clearly in our minds in order to give focus to what we do throughout the creation process. Here they are in no particular order:

1 To enable effective and meaningful collaboration between Artists, Youths and the Community

2 To enable youths and elders to share experience through story making, recording, archiving, transforming and responding to the stories through the arts.

3 To enable learning and reflection of the present in relation to the past and project a response of what needs to be done for the community in the future

4 Contribute to the development of the community through outcomes like a commemorative coffee table book about Ang Mo Kio, as well as exhibitions and performances involving community participation staged with the assistance of 3 community centres

5 To develop and demonstrate the potential of Heartland Communities to incubate and engage with the arts on a first hand basis, and thereby generate original art work reflecting Singapore’s heartlands

6 To diversify the range of arts experience amongst those most distant from the National Arts Institutions like the Esplanade, Theatres at the Bay, etc with a particular focus on contemporary works created by local artists