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MEDIA RELEASE Embargoed until 4 October 2011, 7.15pm INAUGURAL MUSEUM ROUNDTABLE AWARDS CELEBRATED MUSEUM EXCELLENCE AND RECORD-BREAKING VISITORSHIP FIGURES A first ever national accolade for Singapore’s museum industry in the wake of unprecedented visitorship figures to Museum Roundtable museums SINGAPORE, 4 October 2011 – The best of Singapore‟s museums have been recognised and honoured with the launch of the inaugural Museum Roundtable (MR) Awards, an initiative by the National Heritage Board (NHB). The first national accolade dedicated to museums and galleries serves to identify and celebrate shining examples of museum excellence amongst members of the MR. The awards ceremony also celebrated record-breaking visitorship of 7.9 million to MR museums in Financial Year 2010 (FY 2010), a further increase from the 7 million of FY 2009. 2 Following the MR Awards is the annual Business of Heritage (BOH) Conference, which will once again facilitate active discussion on topics relevant to today‟s museum and heritage industry by prominent industry professionals, as well as showcase the latest heritage projects funded under NHB‟s Heritage Industry Incentive Programme (HI²P). MR Awards 2011 3 First announced in September 2010, the MR Awards aim to recognise excellence in the museum sector, celebrate museum best practices and innovation, and enhance the local and international profiles of members of the MR. Since its inception in 1996, the MR has witnessed an impressive growth in membership from 12 since its establishment, to over 50 members today. 4 The MR Awards 2011 featured a total of four winners, one for each of the four categories listed below: a. Best Exhibition; b. Best Education and Outreach; c. Best Promotion and Marketing; and d. Best Overall Experience. 1 5 The first three categories (a, b and c) were opened to all MR members and exclude the national museums and institutions managed by the NHB. The last category of Best Overall Experience is an open category for all MR members who opted to participate. The winners for the first three categories were determined by a panel of judges while the winner for Best Overall Experience was determined through online public voting on NHB‟s I Love Museums Facebook page. 6 The call for submissions commenced on 27 May 2011 and all submissions were subsequently assessed by the panel of judges over a one and a half month period. Concurrently, NHB launched the online public voting contest from 5 to 30 September 2011 for the Best Overall Experience category. The winner of each award category received a monetary prize of SS$5,000, a trophy and rights to the MR Awards logo. 7 The winners of the MR Awards 2011 are: a. Best Exhibition: Civil Defence Heritage Gallery, Civil Defence Heritage Gallery b. Best Education and Outreach: Singapore Science Centre, CSI: The Experience Education Programme c. Best Promotion and Marketing: National Library Singapore, Rihlah – Arabs in Southeast Asia d. Best Overall Experience: The Intan BOH Conference 2011 8 NHB will also be organising the fourth BOH Conference on 5 October 2011, which will bring together Singapore‟s museum professionals alongside international speakers and members of the heritage community. The one-day conference will explore two parallel themes – “Running World Class Museums” and “Making Heritage Work”. The first session will cater to museum professionals while the second will cater to the larger heritage community. 9 This year‟s conference will feature museum professionals and thought leaders from renowned museums and institutions in the United States, Australia and Korea, who will share useful insights on the topic of running world class museums. Heritage entrepreneurs have also been invited to talk about how heritage can be incorporated into viable business models. 10 Returning for the second year is the Heritage Mall, which will showcase new and exciting HI²P products such as a line of chocolates with heritage- inspired flavours by the Chocolate Research Facility, Chinatown-inspired merchandise by the Chinatown Business Association, and a range of games from Monsters Under the Bed Pte Ltd. 2 Update on HI²P 11 Since its launch in 2008, HI²P has grown from strength to strength. To date, HI²P has provided funding assistance to more than 100 recipients, twice the number of projects since last year‟s BOH Conference. Past and present recipients of HI²P, who have received funding from the NHB for their various heritage products and initiatives, will be present at this year‟s conference to share their experiences in a panel discussion. 12 “We are happy to recognise the hard work and efforts of our MR members, who have, over the years, helped grow and diversify Singapore‟s cultural scene. The introduction of the MR Awards will further enliven the museum and heritage sector, and spur all of us to greater excellence. Along with a whole new range of innovative heritage projects, this not only makes the industry as a whole more vibrant, but also pushes more of Singapore‟s diverse heritage and culture to the forefront,” says Mr Alvin Tan, Chairperson, MR. For more details and programme of the MR Awards 2011, please refer to Annex A. For the full list of nominees and panel of judges for the MR Awards 2011, please refer to Annex B. For more information on the winners, please refer to Annex C. For more details and programme of the BOH Conference 2011, please refer to Annex D. For bios of speakers and panelists attending the conference, please refer to Annex E. For HI²P projects supported in FY 2011, please refer to Annex F. - End - Media Invite Friends of the media are invited to join us for the MR Awards 2011 ceremony on 4 October 2011 and the BOH Conference 2011 on 5 October 2011. Here are the details: MR Awards 2011 Ceremony Date: 4 October 2011, Tuesday Time: 5.30pm to 8.30pm Venue: River Room, Asian Civilisations Museum Guest-of-Honour: Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts BOH Conference 2011 Date: 5 October 2011, Wednesday Time: 9.30am to 12.45pm Venue: Ngee Ann Auditorium, Asian Civilisations Museum 3 GOH: Mr Ong Yew Huat Chairman, National Heritage Board Kindly call Rachel Lo at 6327 6177 or email [email protected] to confirm attendance. About the Museum Roundtable The Museum Roundtable (MR) is an initiative led by the National Heritage Board (NHB). Since 1996, it has represented and comprises of a collective of public and private museums, heritage galleries and unique attractions of science and discovery in Singapore. With more than 50 members currently, the MR strives to develop a stronger museum-going culture in Singapore while positioning museums as unique and fascinating cultural destinations that challenges itself to remain relevant amidst the changing times. MR members cover themes ranging from art, culture, history, science and innovation, healthcare, lifestyle to defence and community. About the Heritage Industry Incentive Programme Managed by the National Heritage Board, the Heritage Industry Incentive Programme or HI²P encourages the development of new and innovative heritage inspired products and services. It also seeks to seed new museum and heritage ventures, enhance museum galleries and programmes, and encourages the development of new audiences. Visit www.hi2p.sg for more information. About the National Heritage Board The National Heritage Board (NHB) champions the development and promotion of a vibrant cultural and heritage sector in Singapore. It makes heritage enriching, relevant and accessible to all through staging innovative programmes and forging partnerships. NHB leverages on technology and refreshing new approaches to make heritage more dynamic, alive and exciting. It also manages both national and public museums, the National Archives of Singapore, and the Heritage Conservation Centre. NHB was formed on 1 August 1993 as a statutory board under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA). For media enquiries, please contact: Rachel Lo Associate Account Director, Fulford Public Relations DID: (65) 6327 6177 Email: [email protected] 4 Annex A Museum Roundtable Awards 2011 Launched in 2011, the Museum Roundtable Awards aims to recognise excellence in the museum sector, celebrate museum best practices and innovation, and enhance the local and international profiles of members of the MR. The inaugural MR Awards feature a total of four winners, one for each of the four categories listed below: a. Best Exhibition; b. Best Education and Outreach; c. Best Promotion and Marketing; and d. Best Overall Experience. Programme for Museum Roundtable Awards 2011 Prize Presentation Ceremony Date: 4 October 2011 (Tuesday) Time: 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm Venue: River Room, Asian Civilisations Museum 5.30pm Arrival of Invited Guests 6.00pm Arrival of Guest-of-Honour (GOH) Dr Yaacob Ibrahim Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (ICA) 6.05pm Screening of the Museum Roundtable Video 6.20pm Welcome Address Mr Michael Koh CEO, National Heritage Board Opening Speech Dr Yaacob Ibrahim GOH, Minister/ICA 6.30pm Prize Presentation Ceremony Best Exhibition Best Education and Outreach 5 Best Promotion and Marketing Best Overall Experience 7.15pm Closing Performance 7.30pm Cocktail reception at River Terrace 8.30pm End of Programme 6 Annex B Museum Roundtable Awards 2011 NOMINEES Best Exhibition No. Museum/ Gallery Title 1 Chinese Heritage Centre Chinese More or Less: An exhibition on Overseas Chinese Identity 2 Civil Defence Heritage Civil Defence Heritage Gallery Gallery 3 HDB Gallery Public Housing in Singapore: From Slums to Vibrant Towns 4 National Library Singapore Rihlah – Arabs in Southeast Asia 5 National Library Singapore William Farquhar, Singapore’s First Resident and Commandant, 1819 - 1823 6 NUS Museum Encountering Cheong Soo Pieng 7 NUS Museum Illuminance 8 S'pore Discovery Centre World Piece Best Education and Outreach No.