Very Special Arts Singapore (VSA), a charity committed to offering access and opportunities for people with disabilities through the arts, tonight marked its 25th anniversary by inking a partnership agreement with Singapore’s pioneer arts institution, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). The milestone partnership will see the launch of a top-up certificate in Visual Arts conferred by NAFA Centre for Lifelong Education, allowing artists-in-training with disabilities to get one step closer to becoming career artists.

Aspiring artists who have gone through visual arts training for at least four years at VSA and completed VSA’s VOICES programme would be able to apply for the top-up Certificate in Visual Arts. The 20-week-long certification programme comprises a curriculum that will focus on sharpening conceptualisation and time management skills, and will see participants complete two projects that will be evaluated by a team of assessors. Each edition of the programme will train between six to eight students, with the inaugural edition kicking off in October 2018. The participants, who will be co-selected by VSA and NAFA in September this year, are artists-in-training who display a high level of artistic and conceptualisation skill, as well as an ability to work independently.

Says Ms. Maureen Goh, Executive Director of VSA: “It is a great honour to partner with NAFA, an institution highly regarded for its quality curriculum and experienced educators. The comprehensive top-up certification programme offers artists with special needs an opportunity to improve their career prospects, and cements the fact that despite their special needs, these artists can produce quality, conceptual works within a given timeline. As VSA celebrates its 25th anniversary, this programme marks a key milestone, and signals positive and continuing support for creating opportunities for artists with disabilities to tell their own unique, and untold stories through the arts.”

Commenting on the programme, Mr. Khor Kok Wah, NAFA’s Vice President (Industry and Projects) and Dean of its Centre for Lifelong Education, says, “Centre for Lifelong Education at NAFA is pleased to work together with VSA to curate a top-up course leading to certification in the visual arts for VSA’s artists-in-training. The programme seeks to further enhance what these artistic talents have been learning through the serious training and mentorship at VSA, and achieving a certificate would be an endorsement of their talent and hard work. We wish students attending the course success in all their aspirations and endeavours, artistic or otherwise.”

The Letter of Collaboration was signed tonight by VSA Executive Director, Ms Maureen Goh and NAFA’s Dean, Centre for Lifelong Education, Mr Khor Kok Wah, in the presence of Guest-of-Honour, Ms. Linda de Mello, Director (Sector Development, Visual Arts), National Arts Council. Ms de Mello said, “We would like to congratulate VSA and NAFA on the launch of the Visual Art certification programme to nurture the skills of aspiring artists with disabilities. Over the years, we have witnessed an encouraging shift in the arts scene towards embracing diversity amongst us. It is heartening to see our arts institution foster greater inclusivity through this programme.”

The signing ceremony took place at the launch of VSA’s annual visual art exhibition by VOICES artists-in-training and student-artists, Rhythm and Water – VOICES Annual Exhibition 2018. The exhibition is supported by the National Arts Council and venue partner The Arts House. It is open to the public and will run from 14 to 19 June 2018 at The Arts House, Gallery 2.

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