Page 10 - NAFA Annual Report 2015/2016

Convocation 2015

Over the years, more than 12,000 NAFA graduates have become accomplished artists,
leaders, mentors and educators in the arts and creative industries, garnering numerous
accolades in international competitions and exhibitions. On 26 September 2015, 779
graduates from 28 diploma and nine degree courses received their graduation certificates
at the annual convocation ceremony. Held at the NUS University Cultural Centre,
the ceremony was officiated by Ms Sim Ann, Minister of State, Ministry of Education
and Ministry of Communications & Information (now Senior Minister of State, Ministry
of Culture, Community & Youth and Ministry of Finance). Ms Tjin Lee, Chairman of
Singapore Fashion Week and Founder & Managing Director, Mercury Marketing
& Communications graced the afternoon session as the Guest of Honour. 21 top
students from their respective courses received Best Graduate Awards while five
of them received an additional award for their outstanding performance at NAFA.

The Distinguished Alumni Medal was accorded to two recipients: Valerie Cheng and
Ricky Sim Seow Kiat. Valerie is Head of Creative Shop for Southeast Asia at Facebook
and was the Chief Creative Officer of J. Walter Thompson’s Singapore office. She was
also the first female chairperson to be appointed for the Creative Circle Awards
Singapore in 2010. Founder and Artistic Director of RAW Moves, a contemporary
dance company, Ricky is Singapore’s representative and a standing member of the
Conseil International de la Danse (International Dance Council), Paris.

The NAFA Convocation 2015 also marked the first graduating cohort of four diploma
students who are the School of the Arts (SOTA) alumni since a memorandum of
understanding was signed between NAFA and SOTA, allowing students from SOTA
to be admitted to any of NAFA’s eight diploma programmes.

NAFA Fundraising Golf Tournament 2015

NAFA held its second fundraising golf tournament on 16 October 2015 at the Tanah
Merah Country Club. MP for Nee Soon GRC Er Dr Lee Bee Wah graced the event as
Guest of Honour while 95 golfers joined her on the Garden Course of the Club. Together
with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s dollar-for-dollar Cultural Matching
Fund, the event raised more than $500,000 towards the development of NAFA. Following
the golf tournament, 110 guests attended the appreciation dinner at the Club, where they
were entertained by talents from the NAFA School of Music. NAFA is immensely grateful
to all donors and sponsors for their generous support.

$10 million donation from The Ngee Ann Kongsi

On 4 December 2015, the Academy was privileged to receive a $10 million donation
from The Ngee Ann Kongsi. Of this amount, $9.4 million will defray the construction
cost of the new NAFA building, which will feature state-of-the-art studios and classrooms.
$0.6 million of the donation will go towards The Ngee Ann Kongsi Talent Scholarships,
which are to be awarded to deserving full-time diploma students.

In appreciation of the generous pledge, NAFA renamed two gallery spaces, formerly
known as NAFA Galleries 1& 2, to The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries1& 2. Acting Minister for
Education (Higher Education and Skills) Mr Ong Ye Kung graced the occasion as Guest
of Honour. NAFA was also honoured with a strong turnout from The Ngee Ann Kongsi’s
Committee of Management led by their President, Mr Tan Kien Lip.

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