Twin agreements were signed yesterday by Singapore and Scotland to seal the artistic friendship between them.

The National Arts Council (NAC) of Singapore and the Scottish Arts Council signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to encourage artistic development, collaboration and exchange.

It was signed by Mr Graham Berry, special envoy of the Scottish council, and NAC chief executive Lee Suan Hiang.

In tandem with the memorandum, a strategic alliance between the Edinburgh International Festival and the Singapore Arts Festival was also inked yesterday.

It was signed by Mr Jonathan Mills and Ms Goh Ching Lee, festival directors of the Edinburgh International Festival and Singapore Arts Festival respectively.

The first MOU between the two countries was signed in 1992 and renewed two years later.

With the agreement yesterday, Mr Lee said he hopes to spread the costs of joint commissions, give Singapore artists greater visibility on the global stage and raise the standards of the arts scene here.

In return, Singapore will provide the Edinburgh festival access to performers and audiences from this part of the world.

'If we're not useful and add value, then no one will be our partner, right?' he said with a laugh.

The Scots agreed.

Mr Berry, who is getting married to Member of Parliament Irene Ng next month, said that he was struck by the 'courageous and wonderful' ambition of the Singapore Government to make the Republic a global city for the arts.

He added, to chuckles in the audience: 'I am also very impressed by the arts activity at grassroots level in Singapore. Particularly in Tampines, where I have some connection.'

His wife-to-be, an MP of Tampines GRC, was also present at the signing.

The arts alliance for the two countries has already started to pay off. Optical Identity, a music drama presented by Glasgow-based multidisciplinary group Theatre Cryptic and Singapore's T'ang Quartet, premiered at the ongoing Singapore Arts Festival last week.

Jointly commissioned by both festivals, it will travel to the Edinburgh International Festival in August. It will be the first time that Singapore artists are performing in the prestigious 60-year-old festival.

There will be more of such collaborations to come, both festival directors promise.

Although the Singapore festival is only 30 years old, Mr Mills said that it will be 'an equal relationship'.

Besides doing artistic collaborations, the events will also market each other in their home countries.

Mr Mills added: 'The world is so big. We can't cover it all ourselves.'

chiahta@sph.com.sg