Events Relection Report

Background
One Table Three Chairs by Frontier Danceland (Singapore) is held on the 6^th to 8^th June 2008 at Clarke Quay. It is part of the event, Dance by the River by Singapore Art Festival. Along with it, there is also a performance of La Guardia Flamenca (Belgium).

This event is organised by Singapore Art Festival and the National Arts Council Singapore and supported by Clarke Quay.

Organiser of event

Singapore Arts Festival

It began in 1977 to celebrate local arts activities and aims to build up an artistic and cultural life in Singapore. Works by local and foreign artists are showcased, exploring different art works from different culture and hoping to discover potential artists. Also, it can bring about regional and international exchanges and collaboration, encouraging intercultural understanding among people through the arts.

Outdoor performances are also organised in different location, non-ticketed, so as to increase exposure to the locals, involving them in the festival.

National Arts Council Singapore

It is set up in September 1991 to promote the development of the arts in Singapore, hoping to make it a vital part of lives in Singapore.

Role of event to the organiser/venue

Clarke Quay aims to become the most exciting, trendiest and premium integrated entertainment venue in Singapore. Therefore, by organizing the event, One Table Three Chair, along with the other performances, it would bring a greater crowd of people to the destination. This would include both the locals and the tourist. As Clarke Quay is promoted by Singapore Tourism Board (STB) as one of the ‘must see’ destination for tourists, this range of events serve as the pull factor in attracting the tourists, enhancing their entertainment experience and leaving a memorable moment for them.

Stakeholder in the event

This event is performed by Frontier Danceland, a Singapore based non-profit making dance company set up in July 1991 by the present Artistic Director Mdm. Low Mei Yoke and Director Mr Tan Chong Poh.

As this is a small scale event, therefore it does not involve many.

Target market of event

As this is part of the Singapore Arts Festival and Singapore Arts Street, therefore, it is organised to be promoted to every individual, both locals and foreigners. The event appeals to individuals who are interested in arts regardless of culture, age or gender. Arts can be appreciated by all. Also, during this period of the festival, photographers will be attracted to the country or venue to capture the event down in photos.

However the specific audience attracted would come from the middle age group of people, where they would know better to appreciate the arts.

Marketing strategies used by organiser

As this is a short performance, and is a non-ticketed event, therefore not much publicity is carried out. However, information of the event can be found on the internet such as the various websites in relation to the arts festival, Singapore Tourism Board and National Arts Council. The time and venue of the event can also be found on the webpage of Clarke Quay.

Since the purpose of the arts festival is to promote and position Singapore as a vibrant global arts city, thus the aim of the art festival also includes attracting tourists into the country to join in the arts celebration and performance. The festival is promoted internationally through media and the internet. Sales promotion of ticketed performances is also carried out a few months in advance of the festival.

In order for Singapore to bring out arts appreciate to the younger generation in the country, marketing tools such as internet could be used. One of the common and popular services on the internet that can attract the attention of the younger crowds would be blogging. Thus, by advertising through blogs, or even participating the bloggers in the process of advertising would helps greatly to spread the awareness of the event among the younger people in the country.

Potential of event to meet tourist demand

The event alone cannot fulfill the demand of the tourists. However, all the events together forming the arts festival will be able to attract people locally and internationally to the country. The festival includes works from all over the world, therefore, the tourists that come solely to experience the event will view all the arts performance or exhibition at one go. In my opinion, the festival could meet the demand of the tourist traveling in for the festival. For the tourists who came in the period of the festival also gets to enjoy the events, it can be consider an extra entertainment for them.

However, whether the events organised in the festival had successfully meet the tourist demand will be dependant on the standard set by the tourists when they came to participate in the event.

Align value of event with tourism mission of Singapore

The tourism mission of Singapore is “We develop & champion tourism, so as to build the sector into a key driver of economic growth for Singapore.”

The purpose of the festival is to promote arts locally and this has also attracted tourists from all over the countries, thus playing a part in boosting the tourism traffic of the country. The arts festival has become part of the attractive package of Singapore in promoting to the tourists.

This period of the events carried out once in a year whereby tourists can not only visit Singapore to have leisure, or understand our history and culture, but also to view artworks and music, dance performances by outstanding artists from all over the world. It plays a key role is attracting a specific group of tourists that would travel to appreciate arts and perhaps to support the performers.

Conclusion

In my opinion, the event, One Table Three Chairs by Frontier Danceland, would not be successful independently as it is part of the various events and performances organised to align with Singapore Arts Festival 2008. Therefore, I feel that the whole event, Singapore Arts Festival had started and ended successfully however, it may not have attracted the participation of a large number of the younger crowds. Therefore, the organisers would have to look into areas whereby they can increase the awareness of the events to everyone in the country and also get them involved. In order for the art festival to continue and be successful throughout the future years, the involvement and participation of the younger crowd would be essential.