Towards A Memorandum On The Arts In Penang

TOWARDS A MEMORANDUM ON THE ARTS IN PENANG

(Draft for discussion)

Penang’s Cultural Assets

• Traditional multiethnic historical communities. So culturally diverse, each community in Penang still maintains its own traditions, performing arts and crafts.
• Tradition of street culture. Penang is enlivened by celebrations, festivals, theatre, traders and hawkers of different ethnic groups.
• Tradition of visual arts. Penang is home to significant pioneers of modern painting (watercolour, oil and batik) in Malaysia and Singapore. They include Syed Hossein Enas, Yong Mun Sen, Kuo Ju Ping, Khaw Sia, Lee Joo For, Chuah Thean Teng, Abdullah Ariff and Tan Choon Ghee.
• Penang’s growing contemporary scene. Penang’s lively performing arts scene is exemplified in various pop and marching bands, 2 symphony orchestras, many choirs, theatre and dance groups. Numerous art galleries have emerged showcasing a new generation of artists while giving tribute to the old masters.
• Penang’s homegrown ‘stars’ - Penang has produced internationally-known performers, artists and poets in the country (They Dennis Lee/pianist, Chuah Thean Teng/artist, Mohd. Haji Salleh/poet, Cecil Rajendra/poet, P Ramlee/film maker and actor, Ah Gu/pop singer).

Why Support the Arts – New Source of Growth for Penang

• Positive Impact on Young People. The arts provide a sense of identity, promote cross-cultural interaction, and keep the young away from unhealthy activities.
• New ideas for a New Generation. The arts foster a creative space for open dialogue for cutting edge ideas and encourage social and political expression.
• Arts and Tourism. Development of a lively local arts scene can generate new economic activities that support the tourism and service industries and contribute towards a local cultural industry.
• Arts and Local Economy. A local cultural industry will provide more opportunities for work and self-expression for professional musicians/dancers/dramatists/visual artists and reverse the brain drain of young artistes to bigger cities. Many Penang young musicians and performers move to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and even Taiwan which have better cultural infrastructure, facilities and audiences and where they can make a living.
• Arts and Beyond. A place which is culturally vibrant can attract professionals in other fields who in turn can contribute to Penang’s economic productivity.

Issues and Problems Regarding the Arts

1. Cultural infrastructure is essential for the growth of the arts in Penang. In 1998, Penang had 5 dedicated performance halls with sound system, lighting, raked seating, full-time technicians, acoustics and air-conditioning. Other venues included school halls, multipurpose halls, clubs and hotels.

In 2008 (after 10 years), the number of dedicated performance halls in Penang has increased to 8. Only three are state-owned (Dewan Sri Pinang, Town Hall, Kompleks P. Ramlee). Amateur groups have little opportunity to use such performance venues for performances because of the high cost of rental, last minute cancellations of bookings for state functions and over-use of the halls.

In particular, the newly renovated Town Hall which has an excellent medium-sized performance hall has been inaccessible to NGO’s because of high rental rates and conditions imposed (see attachment for information on performance venues).

Amateur groups also have no access to REHEARSAL SPACES which are lacking in Penang. Such spaces will enable amateur groups in Penang to rehearse on a regular basis.

2. Regulations, Entertainment Tax and Management of the Arts. In order to be able to put up a public performance with ticketing in Penang, groups need to get PERMITS from the city council (performance license), police (permit for performance and road block), fire brigade (security) and the tax department (deposit for entertainment tax). Documents that need to be submitted include synopses of play, names of all performers and location map.

The whole process of having to wait at various departments to seek approval for any performance is a deterrent.

Amateur groups also find it difficult to put down the deposit for entertainment tax (amounting to 20% of all tickets printed).

3. Dissemination of Information. There is no information centre in Penang where local audiences and tourists can find out about performances and other cultural activities as well as to buy tickets. Without a centralized centre for the dissemination of information regarding arts events, performance groups and art galleries find it difficult to coordinate their performance or exhibition dates.

An Arts and Culture Information counter service was set up in the late 1990’s at Dewan Sri Pinang. The counter ran a WEBSITE with information about arts and cultural events in Penang. Funding for the counter has been withdrawn.

4. Arts Events and Festivals are important platforms for diverse multicultural groups (local/ foreign, mainstream/experimental) to perform and showcase their artworks. Arts festivals which feature foreign artistes will be able to attract larger audiences including tourists and provide exposure for local ones. At the same time, local troupes (which normally entertain their own ethnic communities) will have the opportunity to reach wider crossover audiences.

At the moment, there is a Penang Jazz Festival and The World Music Festival (which comprises groups performing at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival). Local traditional and contemporary performing artists of Penang have limited opportunities to perform at such festivals while local visual artists are not featured at all.

5. Cultural Exchange and Training that cuts across race are crucial to promote interethnic interaction among artists and to raise the standard of the arts in Penang. Such programs which are lacking could pave the way towards the creation of a Bangsa Malaysia.

What is Needed to Support the Arts - Action

1. Lower and standardize the rental rates of performance and rehearsal spaces in state-owned buildings for amateur arts groups. These include Dewan Sri Pinang, P. Ramlee Auditorium and the Town Hall.
2. Make accessible all public spaces such youth centres (eg. Pusat Belia Pulau Pinang, Lebuh Acheh) to all arts groups.
3. Abolish the Entertainment Tax for ticketed performances.
4. Create a CULTURAL HUB stretching between Dewan Sri Pinang, Townhall, Padang Kota and Fort Cornwallis (see maps attached).

This hub will have:

a) performance venues, rehearsal spaces, galleries, museums, an arts library, cafes, restaurants, and bookstore in one space*;

b) indoor and outdoor performances, visual arts and crafts exhibitions, regular arts workshops and other cultural activities carried out on a regular basis;

c) professional lighting and sound systems for theatre productions, good acoustics, raked seating, trained lighting and sound technicians who can cater to local and foreign troupes.

d) a One-Stop-Centre for the application of licenses, booking of venues, administrating performance/rehearsal spaces, security, maintenance.

e) an Arts and Culture Information Counter Service which provides the calendar of cultural events in the state, sells tickets for cultural events and runs a website.

f) different types of membership created (eg. endowments - state and private, corporate partners, corporate sponsors, ordinary members) and season tickets sold so that a theatre/arts community can be established;

g) special billboards to advertise the cultural activities in the hub.

*Dewan Sri Pinang and the Town Hall have empty spaces and rooms which could be converted to smaller theatres, black boxes or rehearsal spaces. Outdoor and community performances can be held at the field. Fort Cornwallis or pavement by the sea front.

5. Support a Penang Arts Festival, educational activities and cultural exchange programs to promote the development of visual and performing arts based on the spirit of Penang’s historic multicultural legacy.

6. Set up an Arts Council or Action Committee comprising active members from the arts community to help the state monitor, network and manage the arts scene in Penang.

Attachments: (1) List of state-owned and cultural venues, youth centres, public spaces and art galleries. (2) site map of cultural hub.