8/14/2019 Bukit Timah gets artsy, 29Jun 2009, Straits Times

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frankie chee

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC isgoing artsy next month. Resi-dents will be treated to amonth of art and calligraphyexhibitions and dance per-

formances.The event, Bukit Timah Culture Festi-

val, is organised by the Bukit TimahGrassroots Organisations (GRO) to show-case the different cultures of Singapore.

About 23 free events, by groups andindividuals from Singapore and China,will be held at locations such as the BukitTimah Community Club in Toh Yi Drive,Jurong’s IMM Mall and the NationalLibrary in Victoria Street.

The total number of participants andaudiences is expected to hit around20,000, with the organisers spendingabout $150,000 on the festival to reach

out to the district’s 52,000 residents.

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Member ofParliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRCand adviser to Bukit Timah GRO, said:“We have many people of different racesand nationalities in our district and wewant to use culture to enhance cohesionand integration among them.”

She added that Bukit Timah Communi-ty Club already has a history of beinginvolved in culture and the arts, offeringcalligraphy classes and competitions, anda festival is just the thing to take theinvolvement to the next level.

Among the Singapore groups takingpart are Thau Yong Amateur MusicalAssociation, which is active in the Teo-

chew opera scene, and the Tien HengKang Heng Nam Drama Association,another opera troupe.

There will also be a Singapore Book ofRecords attempt on Saturday, when 500people will try to set a record by writingthe Chinese character “fu” (fortune) atthe same time at the community centre.

China artist Zhang Xiang De, 47, oneof the country’s most established visualartists, will also be showing his work herefor the first time.

The watercolour painter was awarded

the gold award three times at the BeijingInternational Art Exposition. He is para-lysed from the waist down after beingstruck by polio as a child.

He told Life! on the telephone fromHeilongjiang: “I liked drawing when I was

in elementary school

more serious about it,the handicapped werenin universities, so I wtaught.

“I was driven by loveArt, to artists, is our relife, we can’t do withou

About 53 of his painplayed at the National L

Another draw at thchew opera singer ZheThe mainland Chinesbeen here several tim

PHOTOS: BUKIT T

BUKIT TIMAH CULTURE FESTIVALWhere: Various locationsWhen: July 4 to Aug 2Info: Call Bukit Timah CC on 6466-2912 formore information and programme schedule

 Bukit Timah gets artsy 

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Bukit Timah puts on amonth-long festival ofart, calligraphy, operaand more for its residents