concerts are inspiring events, featuring dancers who are deaf, musicians and singers who are blind, and actors and dancers with Down syndrome. Anyone who has attended one of the concerts would have been moved by the talents on display and discarded whatever prejudice he might have had against the disabled.

VSA’S SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES

VSA was founded in 1993. In 1995, it was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. It has been conferred the status of an institution of public character. In 2001, VSA moved to its current premises – a Housing Board void deck – in Bedok. With the financial help of the Lee Foundation, the renovated premises house our administrative office and classrooms for art. In 2011, with the help of the NAC, it opened a second venue at the Changi City Point shopping mall, which was made available to us for free by Frasers Centrepoint. The space includes an art gallery, a dance studio and rooms for music classes. In 2018, VSA celebrated its 25th anniversary by organising a four-day festival of arts for persons of disabilities, called True Colours. The festival had the support of Unesco and the Nippon Foundation. The concert at the Indoor Stadium was graced by President , and featured super-talented artistes from around the world. The festival also included an international conference on the arts and disability. In 2019, VSA contributed to Singapore’s Artist Raymond Lau, 53, was afflicted with Tourette syndrome at the age of seven. In 2001, he won the Young Artist Award conferred by the National Arts Council. He is a successful painter with a following of celebration of the bicentennial, collectors. He also teaches other disabled artists at Singapore’s Very Special Arts non-governmental organisation. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO through the making of four murals in different locations in Singapore. Last year, VSA, with the financial support of Maybank, opened a gallery to display and sell the works of disabled artists at Changi The disabled City Point. VSA Singapore turns 28 in September this year. Has it lived up to my expectations when I founded it in 1993? I think it has brought joy, dignity and and the arts empowerment to many persons with disabilities. In the field of the arts, I am impressed by the formation of the Purple Symphony, an orchestra of over 100 disabled in Singapore and able musicians. The orchestra was founded by MP , a champion of the disabled in Singapore. There are other ground-up initiatives, such as the Inclusive Arts Movement, We have many talented artists with disabilities. started by Ron Tan, 29, a deaf pianist. Yet public opinion lags in its attitude towards PUBLIC OPINION TOWARDS THE the disabled, leaving many of them feeling like DISABLED STILL SUB-OPTIMAL second-class citizens. The situation in Singapore for the disabled has improved a great deal consists of 10 books, with more in the last 30 years. The Singapore than 10,000 lines of verse. The Government acceded to the UN poem is about the biblical story of Works by artist Chng Seok Tin, who became blind at 33 after surgery to remove a brain abscess, currently on display at the Convention on the Rights of the Fall of Man, and is considered National Gallery Singapore in a group show of six post-independence artists. PHOTO: NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE Persons with Disabilities in 2013. one of the great poems of the From 2019, compulsory education English language. has been extended to children artist: painter, sculptor, print Public opinion towards the Washington, DC. Since then, VSA with moderate to severe special TALENTED HOME-GROWN maker, mixed-media artist, writer disabled has improved but has become more domestically needs. DISABLED ARTISTS and songwriter. She was awarded focused and less interested in its Two disabled persons, lawyer the Cultural Medallion in 2005, is still sub-optimal. This is global affiliates. In view of this Chia Yong Yong, 59, who has For the Straits Times Singapore, too, has produced and named Her World Woman of another area in which development, we have decided to peroneal muscular atrophy, an several very talented artists with the Year 2001. She was a champion cut our link to the Americans and inherited neurological disorder, disabilities living extraordinary of Singapore’s Very Special Arts Singaporeans do not rebrand ourselves. We will take the and , 29, a gold medalist My interest in connecting the lives. I shall refer briefly to pianist (VSA) non-governmental behave like the citizens of lead to form an Asean network of Paralympian swimmer, have been disabled and the arts was inspired Azariah Tan, writer Tan Guan organisation (NGO). She died of other First World similar organisations. appointed as Nominated Members by three artists I admire: a Heng, visual artists Chng Seok Tin, cancer in 2019 when she was 72. I had five objectives in founding of Parliament. musician, a painter and a poet. Victor Tan and Raymond Lau, and Her works are currently on display countries. our own VSA. First, to provide an However, the employment of the They convinced me that disability actor Timothy Lee. at the National Gallery Singapore, education in the arts to the disabled is still challenging despite does not mean no ability. They in a group show of six disabled, especially the children. the many incentives offered by the showed me that a disabled person Azariah Tan post-independence artists. Second, to use the arts as a form of Government. I was Chng Seok could still be a world-class artist. I have often called Dr Azariah Tan, therapy for the disabled. Third, to Tin’s referee when she applied for The human spirit is indomitable. 30, Singapore’s Beethoven. He has Victor Tan enable our disabled citizens to find a teaching position with one of our Ludwig van Beethoven is one of lost about 85 per cent of his Victor Tan, 52, is one of will reconsider the advice they joy and self-fulfilment through the tertiary institutions. When the the world’s greatest composers. hearing and will gradually become Singapore’s finest sculptors. He used to give to pregnant mothers arts. Fourth, to showcase the employer found out that she was Born in Germany in 1770, he died deaf. But his disability has not creates works of imagination and to abort such foetuses. Timothy talents of our disabled citizens to blind, she was not granted an in 1827, at the age of 56. When prevented him from becoming an beauty with steel wires. When I also won the the public. Fifth, to help the interview. Beethoven was 45, he began to lose exceptionally accomplished first saw his works at an Enable Award in 2019. exceptionally talented to make a Public opinion towards the his hearing. He was completely pianist, and he has inspired exhibition, I could not believe that living as artists. disabled has improved but is still deaf when he composed his audiences around the world. He the sculptor was blind. One of my CONNECTING THE DISABLED sub-optimal. This is another area magnum opus, the Ninth graduated from the Yong Siew Toh favourite sculptures by Victor is COMMUNITY AND THE ARTS ARTS EDUCATION AND in which Singaporeans do not Symphony. At its premiere in Conservatory of Music at the that of a father and son, on display SHOWCASING YOUNG TALENTS behave like the citizens of other Vienna in 1824, Beethoven stood National University of Singapore, near the Sun Garden of the In 1991, the Singapore Government First World countries. Recently, next to the conductor Michael and has a doctoral degree in music Singapore Botanic Gardens. asked me to set up the National VSA provides classes in art, music, two of my good friends asked me Umlauf. When the symphony from the University of Michigan. Arts Council (NAC) and serve as its dance and theatre. It conducts art to help their talented son, an ended, Beethoven couldn’t hear He has won the first prize at Raymond Lau Poo Seng first chairman. I was a happy and classes for children and adults in architect based abroad, to find a the applause until he turned several national and international Raymond Lau, 53, was afflicted active chairman. However, there painting and pottery, and offers job in Singapore. He uses a around to face the audience. competitions, and he was one of with Tourette syndrome at the age was one area that I felt it classes in music, with a focus on wheelchair to get around. I wrote Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh the four winners of the Goh Chok of seven. He has learnt to live with overlooked – bringing arts to our the cajon, ukulele, piano, violin and to several government agencies is one of the world’s most admired Tong Enable Award last year. the neurological disorder which disabled community. singing, as well as different genres and five of our top architectural artists. He was born in 1853 and results in sudden, involuntary In 1993, I decided to plug that of dance. The NGO has benefited firms to ask if they would like to died in 1890, at the age of 37. He Tan Guan Heng movements and utterances. Born gap by setting up an NGO to from collaboration with the interview him. I received only one produced about 900 paintings in Tan Guan Heng, 84, is a gifted into a humble family, Raymond connect the disabled community Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in reply from an architectural firm, his lifetime but sold only a few of writer. He became blind at 29 was talent-spotted by Brother and the arts. My American friends visual art, dance company Raw which hired him and renovated its them. He painted his most famous because of an accident while Joseph McNally, who invited him came to know about my intention, Moves in dance, The Jazz office to accommodate his work, Starry Night, when he was playing hockey. He has written to study at the LaSalle College of and persuaded me to set up the Association (Singapore) in jazz wheelchair. staying in a mental hospital. Van four books – two novels and two the Arts. In 2001, he won the NGO as an affiliate of America’s and various partners in theatre. I can empathise with why many Gogh suffered from mental illness non-fiction books. His novel, My Young Artist Award conferred by VSA organisation, established by To encourage our students and of our disabled citizens feel like all his life. After a quarrel with his Love Is Blind, has been made into a the National Arts Council. He is a former president John F. to showcase their talents to the second-class citizens. My ambition friend and fellow painter Paul musical. His third book is entitled successful painter with a following Kennedy’s sister Jean Kennedy public, VSA has organised is to help level the playing field for Gauguin, he cut off a lobe of his ear. 100 Inspiring Rafflesians, and his of collectors. He also teaches other Smith in 1974. The mission of the exhibitions and concerts. Every them. My dream is that, one day, all In 1890, he committed suicide. fourth, Pioneering Disabled And disabled artists at VSA Singapore. VSA was “to provide people of all year, it organises an art our disabled citizens will feel like The English poet, John Milton, The Able, was launched in 2015. He ages, living with disabilities, the competition for children and first-class citizens. was born in 1608 and died in 1674, was one of the winners of the Timothy Lee opportunity to learn through youth with disabilities. The at the age of 65. In 1652, he became inaugural Goh Chok Tong Enable Timothy Lee, 21, is an actor with participation in and enjoy the winning entries are exhibited in [email protected] blind. The precise cause of his Award in 2019. Down syndrome. He is currently arts”. The American NGO has one of our shopping malls. VSA blindness was unknown. However, acting as “Handsome” in the affiliates in 52 countries, which also organises an annual art • Professor Tommy Koh is rector of his blindness didn’t stop him from Chng Seok Tin long-running television show Kin. pay it an annual fee. exhibition at which the artworks Tembusu College, National University writing. In 1667, Milton published Chng Seok Tin became blind at 33 His good performance is an In 2011, VSA became a are for sale. It also holds an annual of Singapore. He was founding his magnum opus, Paradise Lost. after surgery to remove a brain inspiration to others born with the department of the Kennedy concert by people with disabilities, chairman of the National Arts Council, The epic poem, in blank verse, abscess. She was a multi-talented same condition. I hope our doctors Centre for the Performing Arts in called Welcome to My World. The 1991 to 1996.