Theatre doyen Ivan Heng has weighed in on the debate over volunteer roles in the arts, saying in an Instagram post on Thursday (July 30) that there is "a line between volunteering to support the arts and asking people to do professional artistic work for free".
The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) had announced that from July 25, people with skills or an interest in the performing arts can volunteer at events it organises, such as the National Day Parade.
These volunteer roles fall under SG Defence, an initiative by Mindef that brings together its various volunteer schemes under a common identity.
In his letter to The Straits Times (ST) Forum page on Thursday, Heng pointed out that he believes in volunteerism and acknowledged that many organisations, including arts groups, rely on volunteers who generously give their time to support their communities.
However, he argued that the Mindef roles were different because they "require years of training, experience and technical expertise" — skills that event organisers, arts organisations and commercial clients typically pay for.
"Artistes, technicians and other arts workers already face uncertain livelihoods," wrote Heng, adding that public institutions should lead by example by paying them fairly.
"The principle is a simple one: Volunteer around the arts, but pay the people who make the art."
His Instagram post sharing the published letter, uploaded on Thursday, has garnered more than 5,000 likes and over 700 shares.
"Creative work may not always be tangible, but it’s still skilled work that deserves fair compensation," wrote a commenter.
Another comment read: "The question is whether volunteerism should be used to replace work that could and arguably should be remunerated.
"Volunteerism should supplement a cause, not become a substitute for paid labour."
In a letter to ST's Forum on Friday, Mindef thanked Heng for his letter to the forum, saying they agree that creative professionals should be fairly compensated for their work.
The ministry pointed out that SG Defence complements, and is not intended to replace, paid engagements.
"It serves as a platform for active citizenry, offering an additional avenue for Singaporeans from all backgrounds and with diverse skill sets, including both creative professionals and non-professionals, to contribute their time, talents and abilities in support of national defence," said Deanne Tan, director of Nexus, Mindef.
Nexus is responsible for Total Defence and national education.
It then cited examples of volunteers supporting its service personnel, including SAF volunteers serving as auxiliary security troopers or psychiatrists volunteering on the SAF Psychiatry Specialist Advisory Board.
Tan said that Mindef and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) value the contribution of the arts community, which is a critical partner to strengthen support for defence and inspire Singaporeans.
The ministry added that "paid professional engagements and voluntary service serve different purposes and can coexist in strengthening both Singapore's creative community and our Total Defence".
Tan said that the ministry will continue to support Singapore's creative ecosystem through paid engagements with local performers, creative agencies and production teams.
AsiaOne has reached out to Heng and Mindef for comment.
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helmy.saat@asiaone.com
