Mrs Rosa Huey Daniel
Deputy Secretary (Culture) Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
Chief Executive Officer National Arts Council Public Administration Medal (Gold)
Mrs Rosa Huey Daniel wants the arts community and cultural institutions to work together and make their work more accessible to the public.
Said the deputy secretary for culture at the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), and chief executive of the National Arts Council (NAC): "I hope that culture will be an integral part of all our lives, so that everyone can access and enjoy our distinctive arts and heritage."
The 54-year-old, who has been in public service for 32 years, will receive the Public Administration Medal (Gold) this year for her contributions to the arts and culture sector.
She has been serving as deputy secretary for culture in the MCCY since the ministry was founded in 2012, and took the helm at the NAC in March last year.
Prior to that, she was the chief executive of the National Heritage Board from 2013 to 2017.
Mrs Daniel said: "I'm truly honoured to have been conferred the award. I also see it as a recognition of the collective achievements of many in the culture sector."
In her MCCY role, Mrs Daniel oversees policy formulation and implementation in the arts and culture sector.
She was involved in major developments in the sector, including the opening of the National Gallery Singapore, the setting up of Arts House Limited to run the Singapore International Festival of Arts, and the launch of the Cultural Matching Fund, which encourages private cash donations to arts and heritage charities and Institutions of a Public Character by matching them dollar for dollar.
She also led the SG50 Programme Office, which planned and coordinated Singapore's 2015 Jubilee celebrations.
Mrs Daniel was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2005 while she was head of the Strategic Policy Office at the Public Service Division, and director at the Institute of Policy Development in the Prime Minister's Office.
"All these developments are deeply fulfilling for me as I know they will also be paving the way for others in future years, like our past cultural leadership did for us," she said.
Clara Lock
