The 2010s were a time of celebration as NAFA continued its transformation into the leading arts institution you know today.
● 2011:
○ In April, NAFA became the first comprehensive arts education institution to launch a government-funded
degree programme, the Bachelor of Music (Hons), with the prestigious Royal College of Music (RCM), London. This was the first time that RCM conferred its degrees outside the United Kingdom.
○ In June, NAFA became the first arts education institution
to be awarded the four-year EduTrust certification by the Committee for Private Education.
○ In September, the second NAFA symposium New Asian Imaginations: (Re)Searching the Arts in Southeast Asia was held.
○ NAFA announced plans
for its fourth campus to be built above the future Bencoolen MRT station.
● 2013
○ NAFA celebrated its 75th anniversary with an extravaganza of visual and performing arts events to showcase its talented students and faculty. The events culminated in a NAFA 75th Anniversary Fundraising Gala Dinner & Concert graced by
President Tony Tan Keng Yam on 1 November. Over S$1.2 million was raised for the NAFA Development Fund.
● 2014: Choo Thiam Siew stepped down as President and was succeeded by former Ngee Ann Polytechnic Principal Chia Mia Chiang who became the eighth President.
● 2015:
○ NAFA’s academic structure was reviewed and departments were re-organised into three academic schools to reap synergies in curriculum planning, teaching and learning, utilisation of facilities and resource planning. This saw 3D Design,
Design & Media, Fine Art and Fashion Studies departments coming under the new School of Art & Design, while the Dance, Theatre and Arts Management & Education departments formed the School of Arts Management, Dance & Theatre. The Music
Department was re-designated as the School of Music.
○ In December, the Academy received its largest donation since its founding in 1938. The Ngee Ann Kongsi pledged a sum of S$10 million to NAFA, of which S$9.4 million went to support the cost
of building a new facility above the Bencoolen MRT Station. The rest of the donation or S$0.6m was channelled to The Ngee Ann Kongsi Talent Scholarships.
● 2016: A generous S$5 million donation from the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple supported the NAFA Development Fund, the acquisition of library resources, and the set up of the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Student Relief Fund and the Kwan Im Thong Hood
Cho Temple Fellowship.
● 2017:
○ NAFA welcomed His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales to The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries on 1 November. During the tour of the galleries, NAFA alumni with pieces in the NAFA collection were present to introduce their work
and explain about the techniques used. Students from the School of Music were also given the opportunity to meet and perform for His Royal Highness.
● 2018:
○ NAFA celebrated its 80th anniversary and the official opening of the NAFA Campus 1 Tower Block, located above Bencoolen MRT Station.
○ The launch event of the anniversary celebrations and campus opening was officiated by Mr Ong
Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) and Second Minister for Defense.
○ The event also kickstarted a year-long festivities, including an eight-week long arts festival, an opera production, a commemorative book publication,
homecoming events for NAFA alumni, and a rich variety of other performances.