SINGAPORE – One of Mr Alvin Tan’s fondest childhood memories is waking up near midnight on the eve of every ninth day of the Chinese New Year to help his parents prepare offerings to the Heavenly Jade Emperor – just so that he could enjoy the steamed crabs.
The deputy chief executive for policy and community at the National Heritage Board (NHB) said his experiences with Chinese culture form an important part of his childhood and teenage memories.
He grew up learning about the works of Chinese writer Louis Cha (also known as Jin Yong) as his father, a retired Chinese teacher, has an enduring love for wuxia – or martial arts – novels.
The 52-year-old will be the new CEO of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) from June 3, the centre announced in a media release on May 10.
Mr Tan, however, is not new to the cultural centre. SCCC chairman Ng Siew Quan said: “Alvin comes with a wealth of experience from the museum and heritage sector. As a board director with SCCC since 2016, and as chairman of SCCC’s programmes committee, he has played an instrumental role in shaping SCCC’s programming directions and audience strategies.”
Chinese culture in Singapore is vibrant, unique and evolving, Mr Tan told The Straits Times.
“Chinese culture in Singapore is also unique as it is rooted in a multicultural society and integrates elements from Singapore’s multicultural fabric in a manner that is truly Singaporean,” he said.
“It has continued to be shaped by waves of migration and globalisation trends, and by the fusion of traditional practices and modern influences.”
Mr Tan hopes to strengthen support for local Chinese arts and cultural groups; enhance the range, quality and appeal of SCCC’s exhibitions; and build up and disseminate knowledge about local Chinese arts, heritage and culture through research and platforms.
“I would like SCCC to be a vibrant showcase of our rich and diverse Chinese Singaporean culture; a learning space for Chinese, non-Chinese and new immigrants to find out more about and to experience Chinese Singaporean culture; and a community hub that welcomes and connects anyone who is interested in, or has a love for, Chinese arts, culture and heritage,” he said.
He also aims to make SCCC a destination where visitors will enjoy their encounters with Chinese arts, culture and heritage, and go away feeling enriched – and for Chinese Singaporeans “to feel a renewed sense of pride and confidence in our identity and culture”.
Under his leadership, NHB has enhanced its outreach offerings, built up strong community networks and established its presence in new areas such as intangible cultural heritage.
Mr Tan hopes to work with NHB to showcase and promote the intangible cultural heritage of the Chinese community and practitioners; and, with the Promote Mandarin Council, explore using the Singaporean Mandarin Database to showcase Singapore’s Chinese identity through unique Mandarin terms.
He will also explore collaborating with the Singapore Writers Festival to shine a light on the literary arts and promote reading and writing among the young. As there is sustained interest and positive feedback on SCCC’s dialect programmes, Mr Tan feels it is worthwhile to continue them, especially as they are targeted at seniors.
“As the new CEO, I would be working with the SCCC team to explore how we could develop dialect programmes that deliver key government policies to seniors in a fun and engaging way, and to promote intergenerational bonding,” he said. “I would also be keen to continue to work with the different clan associations to showcase their cultures, customs and cuisines at SCCC.”
SCCC’s current CEO, Mr Low Sze Wee, will be joining NHB as group director (museums) on June 3. He replaces Mr Kennie Ting, who is leaving NHB on July 1 to pursue personal interests.
Mr Low, 54, has led SCCC in the promotion of local Chinese culture through a wide array of programmes for various audience segments.
“In the past six years, I have encountered many Singaporeans, both young and old, who have a deep interest in Chinese culture and are doing their best to promote this passion to the public, be it their love of Chinese music or their emotional connection to Chinese dialects,” he told ST.
“They have been, and will continue to be, SCCC’s best partners in promoting and developing our local Chinese culture.”
Mr Ng, SCCC’s chairman, said Mr Low has been an inspiration and catalyst in championing local Chinese culture.
“We appreciate his leadership, which has allowed SCCC to break new boundaries in reaching more audiences in the promotion of our local Chinese culture.”
