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Synopsis :

Speaking before he opens the Singapore Festival 1968, Minister for Foreign Affairs, S.Rajaratnam, says 'man does not live by bread alone' and looks at how 'art, music and drama can help Singapore in this difficult business of survival'. He touches on several aspects of this bread-and-butter problems and its relationships with art, which include:

1) arts place in the bread-and-butter issue depends to very large extent on how Singapore's 'goal of a peaceful, prosperous and free community' is defined;
2) artists communicate through their music, painting and drama, like 'microscopes and telescopes';
3) proposed National Arts Gallery, Academy of Arts, and National Theatre Company avenues for artists to communicate; money and effort spent on setting them up has 'relevance for the future well-being of Singapore;
4) balance between concerns with bread-and-butter 'apects of existence' and 'art and fantasy' issues to have 'dynamic and thriving society';
5) arts can help to shape 'awareness of a Singapore identity' leading to 'a single community' out of its multi-racial and multi-cultural society;
6) Singapore Arts Council and National Theatre Trust's target sum to raise is 'worthfwhile investment' for artistis to 'make clear to people inside and outside our country Singapore is not Cuba or a Third China' ... but that it is just Singapore';
7) two Malaysian newspapers recently attempt to sell idea that 'Singapore was not Singapore, was some other country'.
His speech continues on next tape.

Speaking before Minister (in English, Mandarin) is Festival Chairman, Dr Goh  Poh Seng, who is also Chairman of the National Theatre Trust and Deputy Chairman of the Singapore Arts Council. He says:

1) the Festival is 'deliberately planned to usher in the New Year and to usher in a whole host of festivities that fall during this period';
2) artists should not be isolated from 'the general stream of life ... be aware of what is going on', such as the recent news about the celerated British Forces withdrawal';
3) 'Art for Art's sake' is too 'much of a luxury in our time and circumstances';
4) Art has 'one practical value', such as Arts Council working with EDB 'to explore the possibilities of starting supportive industries', and with Tourist Promotion Board by taking part in 'cultural performances';
5) purpose of the Festival and the co-sponsors.