MEDIA ADVISORY 25 FEBRUARY 2009
Republic Polytechnic Steps Up Support for The Community
The Republic Cultural Centre presents Colourful Palette of Five Highlights in 2009 Programme
Republic Polytechnic (RP), the tertiary institution that approaches learning with a difference, will spearhead five main platforms for 2009 aimed at supporting local talent and engaging the local community in Singapore’s vibrant arts scene.
The five main platforms by The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC) are:
- HEARTS (March - December)
- Arts Platter (May - December)
- Momentum 2009 (25 - 30 May)
- IGNITE!’ 2009 (24 and 25 July)
- Reflections 2009 (29 October - 20 November)
Mr. Ganesh Kalyanam, Director of The Republic Cultural Centre said, “Republic Polytechnic in providing a holistic education is also committed to creating an environment that enables our students, staff and other stakeholders to develop artistically, express themselves creatively, root themselves culturally as well as impact powerfully the community spirit of the nation.”
TRCC which is home to 25 performing arts groups, three Artistes-in-Residence and the Technical Theatre Association of Singapore, gives students an opportunity for hands-on learning through event planning and production, thereby making use of their problem-solving skills to handle and solve real work place problems, and to better understand the value of team work.
Your journalist/ photographer/camera crew will be provided further details closer to each of the highlights.
For media information, please contact:
Republic Polytechnic
Benjamin Chow
Tel: 31001779
Email: benjamin_chow@rp.sg
Mileage Communications Pte Ltd
Ooi Kelly/ Ronald Wong
Tel: 62221678
Email: kelly@mileage.com.sg / ronald@mileage.com.sg
About Republic Polytechnic
The first educational institution in Singapore to adopt the Problem-Based Learning approach for all its diploma programmes, Republic Polytechnic has six schools and one centre offering thirty diploma courses in Information & Communications Technology, Engineering, Applied Science, Technology for the Arts, Sports, Health & Leisure, Events and Hospitality, Innovation and Enterprise, and Culture and Communication. Republic Polytechnic is committed to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial learning in an environment that develops problem-solving process skills and a life-long learning attitude. Its holistic, broad-based curriculum, covering culture, enterprise development and cognitive processes, prepares students for an active and meaningful role in society. Republic Polytechnic strives for excellence by achieving various national and international accreditations, including People Developer Standards, ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS 18001, Singapore Quality Class, Singapore Innovation Class, and the Singapore Health Awards (Gold). For more information, visit http://www.rp.sg.
ANNEX 1
HEARTS (March - December)
It is often thought that in bad economic times the arts would take a back seat while bread and butter issues take the fore front.
However, RP believe that when times are bad, the arts have to play a bigger role in uplifting the spirit of the masses by refreshing their minds and strengthening their hearts.
With HEARTS, RP will be collaborating with the Tan Ean Kiam Service Learning Centre and the National Arts Council to engage the public through:
- having established arts groups at RP to adopt an institution of their choice and work with the residents and beneficiaries to learn a new art form and even perform together at the one the many performance platforms provided by RP
- supplying at least 20 performance items to community and charitable events in the area when required
- organising performance with established arts groups and make it available to the less privilege
Arts Platter (May - December)
Arts Platter, which will be held weekly on Thursdays, offers a platform for emerging artists from the RP student population and the community to showcase their talents.
Conceptualised and run by student-led interest group Campus Arts Productions (CAP), more than 100 performances consisting of lunch-time recitals, evening concerts, art workshops and large scale premium shows for the public has been organised since 2005.
Through the initiative of CAP, established celebrity artists such as Tank (Taiwan), Bismuth, Khalil Fong Da Tong and E.P.I.C have performed at RP to cultivate the interest in arts in bid to discover local fresh talents.
Momentum 2009 (25 - 30 May)
Momentum 2009 is a much needed platform to showcase some of the best dance groups to be found in schools and institution of higher learning in Singapore. It is also an opportunity to encourage creativity in dance and promotion of original works of various dance genres.
Hailing from last year’s success, the second season’s line-up brings together a series of workshops, film screenings, talks, photo exhibition and a final two-day dance showcase of the various genres of dance presented by 15 schools and institutions of higher learning which include:
- RP Dance Groups (Hip Hop, Modern Dance, Social Dance, Malay Cultural Group, Indian Cultural Group, Capoeira and Wushu)
- NUS Dance Ensemble
- SMU’s Cadeiras Latinas
- Evergreen Secondary School
- Dance Spectrum International
IGNITE!’ 2009 (24 and 25 July)
IGNITE!’ 2009 is a two-day free music festival featuring independent local bands of mixed genres, selected based on popular demand and (musical) technical abilities.
As an expansion of last year’s hugely popular IGNITE! 2008, several younger school-based bands will be selected to share the limelight with their local role models.
IGNITE!’ 2009 is also a youth-driven music festival where much of the programming, negotiations with artistes, production, marketing and fringe activities are carried out by students who employ skills from the various diplomas related to music, event production, marketing and arts management.
This year this festival which is seen as the precursor to Baybeats in the local music scene hopes to attract around 6000 people from around the island and even from across the Causeway!
So, come and ignite your passion for music at our very own “Woodstock” at Woodlands.
Reflections 2009 (29 October - 20 November)
Reflections 2009 reflects the vibrant arts culture among our youth as well as facilitates a deeper reflection into how our youth perceive the arts, express their arts and how they like to experience their arts.
Into its third year, the community arts festival will feature 25 performances, workshops, mass arts events and a visual arts exhibition over a period of 3 weeks.
With last year’s overwhelming response from 21,000 people, the organisers intend to reach out to over 30,000 people this year.