Patron Heritage Awards 2007
15 April 2008, Tuesday
River Room, Asian Civilisation Museum
Singapore

51 PATRONS OF HERITAGE HONOURED – WAR JOURNAL, WRITINGS AND ARTWORKS AMONG RARE PERSONAL DONATIONS MADE.

The cheque for SGD2.25 million was presented by Trustee and Chairman of the Advisory Committee, APB Foundation, Mr Koh Poh Tiong at the ceremony, and received by Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Lee Boon Yang, on behalf of Singapore Art Museum of National Heritage Board.

The Patron of Heritage Awards is in its second year after a successful inaugural ceremony last year. Celebrating donations and loans given to heritage causes between January and December 2007, the Award recognises the contribution of 51 outstanding individuals and organisations. Their generous gifts in cash and kind, as well as long-term loans, totalled more than $11 million.

Cash sponsorships and in-kind donations amounted to S$6.6 million and S$4.2 million respectively. In-kind donations refer to artefacts and artworks, or other gifts of significant commercial value such as professional services rendered as well as venue and media spaces. Long-term loans of artefacts, artworks and other materials constitute the remaining value.

Organised by the National Heritage Board (NHB), the Award is Singapore’s most prestigious accolade acknowledging those who have made significant contributions to enrich our country’s heritage. The ceremony was graced by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, as its Patron and Guest of Honour at the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Established in 2006, the Patron of Heritage Awards is an annual event that aims to boost heritage philanthropy in Singapore by honouring individuals and organisations who have made significant contributions towards enriching our national heritage.

Mr Michael Koh, CEO of NHB said: “We are extremely grateful for the strong support we
have received from our growing pool of heritage and museum patrons. Their noble and altruistic acts ensure that Singapore’s rich and unique heritage stays vibrant and alive for
generations to come. With the support of our heritage benefactors, Singapore residents and visitors of all ages were treated last year to outstanding exhibitions and events like Greek Masterpieces from the Louvre, The Big Picture Show, On The Nalanda Trail and the Singapore HeritageFest.”

The Distingished Patron and Patron of Heritage Trophies are part of the Heritage Flames series by potter Suriani Suratman - a social anthropologist at the Deepartment of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore, and former student of master potter Iskandar Jalil.

This year’s 37 organisations and 14 individuals were selected from among the nominations received. The breakdown for the awards is as follows:

Donations in cash, kind or material between 1 Jan – 31 Dec 20071:

• Distinguished Patron of Heritage (S$2 million and above):
Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation

• Patron of Heritage (S$1 million to S$1,999,999):
Lee Foundation

• Partner of Heritage (S$150,000 to S$999,999): 17 winners

• Friend of Heritage (S$50,000 to S$149,999): 31 winners

Each received a 24K gold-plated medallion designed in 2008 by Risis

Long-term loans (5 years or more) of materials (artefacts, artworks and others) ending between 1 Jan -31 Dec 2007:

• Supporter of Heritage (value of items less than S$1 million):
Mr Vikram Kumar Chand

The gifts of benefactors have certainly helped Singapore’s museum-going culture to flourish. Last year, museums run by the National Heritage Board (NHB) recorded visits by some 1.72 million people – a 50% increase over the previous year. The Board’s outreach efforts also achieved stunning results, with about 3.5 million Singaporeans and tourists participating in a range of programmes such as the Singapore HeritageFest. This is a jump of almost 30% over the 2.74 million participants in 2006.

The generosity of the award winners has boosted the development of Singapore’s arts and heritage sector. Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation which clinched the top award of Distinguished Patron of Heritage, has pledged S$2.25 million over 15 years towards the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize series. Co-organised with the Singapore Art Museum, this award will support new developments from recognised artists in contemporary visual arts in Singapore and the region.

The Parther of Heritage Trophy is designed by Thomas Cheong, an art educator and established ceramicist.

In the Patron of Heritage category, the Lee Foundation has donated more than S$1.2 million to support projects run by several museums. This includes funding educational programmes at the Singapore Philatelic Museum from 2007 to 2009.

What is significant this year are the individuals who have contributed family heirlooms and prized personal items to Singapore’s treasure trove of heritage. A war-time journal written by Mr Tham Sien Yen, a key member of the Force 136 – an anti-Japanese resistance group established by the British after the fall of Singapore during World War II was loaned to the National Archives of Singapore along with other documents by Mr Tham’s family. Currently on display at the Memories at Old Ford Factory, the journal provides interesting snapshots of life for Force 136 members in Malaya in the final days of World War II between April and September 1945.

Other award winner is Mrs Julia Oh, a dedicated museum volunteer for more than 25 years. She has pledged a sum of S$10,000 per year over the next decade for the Julia Oh – NHB International Continuing Education Grant. This grant, the first to the NHB from an individual, will enhance the expertise of young professionals in the areas of museum, archival or conservation-related work through a series of overseas attachments with top institutions.

Another contribution came from Mrs Poon Lee Lee, the wife of Singapore Cultural Medallion winner and prominent abstract artist, the late Anthony Poon . She donated 23 significant works by her husband worth more than S$500,000 to the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), fulfilling the late artist’s last wish for SAM to own his best works.

1 In-kind contributions include advertising/media space, venue space, F&B and manpower services. Materials comprise museological materials such as artworks and artefacts as well as archival materials like photographs, video and audio recordings.

Edited by Eugene Tang. Information and Visuals Courtesy of National Heritage Board. All Rights reserved.