Compared to nine years ago, attendance and participation in arts events has doubled over the years, according to the Singapore National Arts Council’s 2011 Population Survey on Arts and Culture. In addition, 77% of respondents were motivated to attend the arts for entertainment and relaxation, while 55% attended arts events as a way of spending time with friends and family.
Apart from these positive experiences people associate with the arts, the arts also provides a myriad of other personal benefits:
- Helps in problem-solving and decision-making by allowing participants to learn interpersonal as well as technical skills that are important for mobilizing groups (such as when organizing
performances); - Fosters social cohesion through community collaborations on creative projects;
- Improves individual health through stress relieve by engaging in a creative activity, or by simply attending arts
events.
It’s really no surprise then that the National Arts Council has recently announced its plans to increase the budget for community arts engagement efforts (more…)
