A total of 41 groups and individuals have become the first to receive funding from the National Heritage Board under a new scheme introduced last year to encourage Singaporeans to be more active in researching and documenting the country's heritage.
Get the full story from The Straits Times.
Here is the statement from NHB:
A total of 41 individuals and groups comprising academics, student and interest groups, companies, societies and associations make up the inaugural recipients of the National Heritage Board's (NHB) Heritage Grant Scheme. Introduced on 1 August 2013, the Heritage Grant Scheme has a total fund pool of S$5 million to be disbursed over a period of four years, from FY 2013 to 2016. Close to S$1.4 million was awarded to the 41 projects, which consist of community-driven ideas and efforts that take ownership in the celebration and preservation of our shared heritage.
The Heritage Grant Scheme is a NHB initiative that promotes active participation in creating heritage content through research, documentation and creative ways of presentation. On the community's enthusiastic response to the first call for applicants, Chief Executive Officer of NHB, Mrs Rosa Daniel, said, "The Heritage Grant Scheme has, since its launch, attracted a good number of individuals and groups to apply and benefit from its funding, which champions the heritage cause. This is encouraging as it demonstrates that many of us treasure our heritage dearly, and are eager to do our part for it. I am also happy to see the diversity of the projects supported, which ranges from publications to documentaries and even games. Their ingenuity and creativity speak of the interest and passion the applicants have for our history and heritage."
Of the 41 recipients, 26 were awarded the Heritage Participation Grant while the other 15 were awarded the Heritage Project Grant. The smaller of the two grants under the Heritage Grant Scheme, the Heritage Participation Grant is intended to support a wider spectrum of projects to cover the many different forms and areas of heritage, such as our ethnic customs and traditions, food culture and built heritage. Examples of recipients of the Heritage Participation Grant include individuals from all walks of life and groups such as the Singapore Film Society, Singapore Council of Women and Eurasian Association.
The Heritage Project Grant, on the other hand, provides a higher level of support for heritage projects with the potential to make a significant and lasting impact. Yixian Quek, a recipient of the Heritage Project Grant for her quirky project commemorating Singapore's school uniforms through photography, said, "Recollecting memories of school days lets us hold on to the way we were, the things we loved, and the things we never want to lose. Nothing brings back such memories as much as school uniforms - the attire we wore for four years or more. It defined who we were and gave us a sense of belonging. And it still allows us to recognise others like ourselves outside of school, years after we graduated. On top of documenting the various school uniforms through photography, we hope to get the public to share their memories in school through social media. We want to spark an interest in preserving our heritage because everyone owns a piece of Singapore's history that is unique and worth celebrating."