I am very happy to join you tonight for the Singapore Chinese Orchestra’s twin celebration concert, to mark the fifth anniversary of the SCO and the re-opening of the newly renovated Singapore Conference Hall. The acoustics and structure of the Hall have been improved extensively, and it will now be the new home for the SCO as well as a major arts and cultural venue in Singapore. For the Chinese music scene in Singapore, this is a significant milestone because the SCO will be one of the few professional Chinese orchestras in the world to have its own permanent home.

The renovation of the Conference Hall as an arts and cultural centre, and as the new home for the SCO, is part of the Government's efforts to develop the arts scene in Singapore. We hope to make Singapore known for its cultural vibrancy and dynamism, and as the place in the world to live, work and play. We want to the arts reach a wide cross-section of society, and be part of the lives of ordinary Singaporeans. A lively, buzzing arts scene will also contribute to Singapore's international standing as a global city, offering a good quality of life, attracting foreign talent to our shores, and retaining our own local talent.

We have made modest but encouraging progress toward this vision. Last year, the Arts Education Programme involved more than 280,000 students in our schools and junior colleges. The number of arts performances and exhibitions has more than doubled over the past decade. We now have more concerts, dance performances, plays and exhibitions being staged, reflecting the growing appetite for the arts in Singapore.

The Ministry of Information and the Arts is pursuing various initiatives to raise the arts in Singapore to a higher level. One key area is nurturing and developing local artistic talent. The Government has set aside $50 million to be disbursed over five years for this. Equally important is the development of the infrastructure necessary for a wide range of artistic activities to thrive in Singapore. The [$600 million] Arts Centre at the Marina Bay front is taking shape, and will be the focal point of the arts scene in Singapore. It will be complemented by other facilities ranging from the upgraded Conference Hall, Victoria Concert Hall, Victoria Theatre, to smaller venues like the Singapore Repertory Theatre at Robertson Quay and the Substation.

The arts scene in Singapore, therefore, looks set for exciting growth. MITA will press on with its efforts to bring this about. The SCO has a special role to play. It is an important voice promoting Chinese orchestral music and culture in Singapore, and adds to the vibrancy and diversity of the arts scene here. I am confident that the SCO will grow from strength to strength, and help Singapore to become a vibrant, exciting and culturally rich city to live in.

I am happy to declare the Singapore Conference Hall re-opened, and wish the Singapore Chinese Orchestra many more happy and meaningful years in their new home.