H1 GP: Would it matter if all the performing arts venues in your society, such as concert halls and theatres, were closed down?

Written in 2020. Tip: Never plagiarize old essays, the examples are all outdated and any GP teacher or tutor worth their salt will snuff you out immediately.

Content: A

Language: A+

Score range: 45-47/50

We are living in a bizarre era where every last performing arts venue in the Singaporean society has indeed been closed down, albeit only temporarily. With theatres and concert halls being classed as non-essential venues that could be sacrificed in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the stirring anthems of orchestral performances and iconic riffs of Broadway shows have been replaced with a jarring silence. Once home to a rather marginalized sector of a society who has till recently only paid lip service to promoting the local arts scene, the sudden loss has led many Singaporeans to realize that performing arts venues do matter in our society. They are integral to preserving our national and cultural integrity, just as much as they are iconic structures that draw millions of tourists to visit every year. While some might argue that they are no longer relevant thanks to the rise of other platforms, the performing arts venues are ultimately still workplaces and training grounds for many traditional performing arts groups. It is therefore, without a doubt, that performing arts venues matter in my society.

Performing arts venues in Singapore matter as they are intrinsically linked to our local cultural identity. Many of these performing arts venues have historic value to certain groups of people in society, particularly spaces that cater specifically to more traditional forms of art as well as spaces which are tied to our national identity, which makes their continued maintenance a marker of our progress as a functioning society that embraces different viewpoints. Performing arts venues are also the birthplaces of many productions that have defined the Singaporean arts scene, which makes them instrumental in fostering continuations of the artistic legacy that has taken root here. For example, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall was where the People’s Action Party (PAP) held their inaugural meeting, as well as the place where the National Anthem of Singapore was first performed. As a result, the closure of such a historically significant place - and in this scenario, every performing arts venue in the country - would be more than just a major blow to the arts industry, but also an indicator of political or societal instability where an entire cornerstone of the Singaporean legacy must be erased in favor of a more important event. The closure of every performing arts venue in the society will not only mean financial trouble for the arts industry, but also greater and much further-reaching repercussions which could then be read as warning signs for both incumbent and potential investors alike, resulting in a possible loss of national income. While such an outlook might seem overly pessimistic, it must be recognized that for a country that relies heavily on its urban population, the sudden and permanent closure of performing arts venues nationwide would definitely cause a stir in the economic sectors. As a result, there is no doubt that performing arts venues, at the very least, will matter if they are closed down.

Furthermore, performing arts venues are also heralded as tourist destinations in my society, and it would be a major blow to the tourism industry if all venues were to be closed down. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to Singapore in order to experience a full theatre or concert experience in performing arts venues which have been specifically designed and promoted as architectural icons in our city skyline. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, in the fourth quarter of the financial year in 2018, the combined total tourist expenditure for sightseeing and entertainment was a whopping S$1.386 billion dollars. Professional performing arts venues are vital to our tourism sector which is a multibillion dollar industry in itself. For example, international Broadway plays such as the renowned Wicked and major popular culture brand names including BTS and SNSD have held concerts here due to our society’s standing as an enabler of the performing arts. With infrastructure such as The Esplanade and The Marina Bay Sands Theatre constructed for the sole purpose of promoting entertainment tourism, the closure of all of these venues would spell definite disaster for our tourism sector. Furthermore, contracts with major entertainment players worldwide could be rendered null and void by a mass cancellation, which would lead to major legal repercussions on our end unless there are extenuating circumstances. Regardless, it is evident at this point that the value of performing arts venues might not immediately be apparent, and yet their collapse would set off a butterfly effect and potentially lead to an economic fallout on a nuclear scale, one that could cripple the economy as a whole.

Some may argue that performing arts venues may no longer matter as much as they used to due to the rise of Internet platforms and social media which allows for far greater outreach. Proponents of such a view would opine that the performing arts can be digitalized, and that they should adapt to the new normal of volatile changes such as, in this case, the loss of a permanent location due to the complete closure of all performing arts venues. Indeed, in recent years, a growing number of internet personalities have overshadowed traditional mediums of performance without ever requiring a physical stage. As platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram present themselves as viable solutions for newly minted practitioners of the performing arts, brick-and-mortar venues appear to have become obsolete. Rising stars in Singapore such as local boy band The Facade are able to perform through pop-up events and online livestreams, which negates the need for performing arts venues. As such, it seems as if performing arts venues have become mere disposable vestiges of a performing arts industry which has apparently outgrown its need for physical locations.

However, I continue to stand firm by my point of view that it would indeed matter if every performing arts venue were to be closed down in my society. For many traditional performing arts groups, the closure of these venues would mean a sudden and drastic cut in income. Even with sufficient warning signs, entire performing arts groups could be put out of business due to their reliance on a central venue which their target audience would tend to frequent. According to The Straits Times, the COVID-19 pandemic has cost nine local arts companies a combined loss of S$2.6 million, whereas performing arts freelancers such as production managers and actors have seen their incomes plummet from 50% to 70%. It is evident, then, that even a temporary closure of performing arts venues will destroy entire livelihoods and threaten to wipe an endangered industry out. While detractors of such a claim might argue that those in the performing arts industry can simply reinvent their skillsets, it is impossible to expect an entire industry to shift gears overnight. Therefore, the idea that performing arts venues are not significant enough to matter even if all of them are shut collectively is flawed.

Ultimately, performing arts venues may not immediately appear to be of significant value initially, both economically and culturally. However, a closer look would reveal that they are benchmarks for a society’s standard of living as well as a home for our performing arts industry. It took a pandemic for Singaporeans to finally appreciate what we have taken for granted. That said, we can only hope that an entertainment-starved Singapore would storm the drama theatres and concert halls with renewed vigor as soon as it is possible to leave our homes.