Capability Development Grant Program (Singapore)

Priorities

• Priority will be given to training programmes that are aligned with the priority areas in their SG Arts Plan (2023 – 2027). They include:
  • Digital technology for art-making, audience development and outreach, and business development (e.g. data analytics, digital marketing)
  • Audience engagement:
    • facilitation and engagement in the arts;
    • teaching artistry, arts education and pedagogy;
    • working with communities and/or youth;
  • Entrepreneurship and organisation capabilities:
    • arts management, including business management and leadership;
    • fundraising and financial management;
    • branding and marketing;
    • governance;
    • intellectual property and legal;
  • Art-form specific capabilities:
    • arts practice with a focus in traditional art forms that reflect the Chinese, Malay and Indian heritage of Singapore;
    • curating for visual arts;
    • literary publishing, editing, translation and creative writing;
    • technical design and stage/production management.
  • Arts research, critique and documentation

Funding Information

• Overall Cap per Financial Year:
  • For Individuals: $20,000
  • For Non-Profit Organisations or Collectives/For Profit Organisations: $75,000

Ineligible Activities

• Activities that do not involve or benefit practicing artists or arts professionals.
• Activities that are held at a religious venue or primarily aimed at promoting religious causes.
• Tertiary education programmes that are subsidized by the Ministry of Education (i.e. NITEC, Higher NITEC, Diploma, Bachelor’s Degree).
• Full-time degree programmes (i.e. Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree or Doctorate). Individuals seeking support for such programmes should apply for NAC’s Scholarships.
• Activities that are presented as part of the curriculum of a school or tertiary institution.
• Activities that are already being supported by the NAC through other schemes or grants.
• Cost components of programmes that are already subsidized by other government agencies such as SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG).

Eligibility Criteria

• Individuals who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents (PR) preferably residing in Singapore and actively contributing to the local arts scene:
  • Priority will be given to applications by Self-employed Persons (SEPs) and who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents residing in Singapore and work in the local arts scene.
• Organisations that are either registered with ACRA (including sole proprietorship/limited liability partnership (LLP)/ Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG)/Private Limited Company) or as a society with the Registry of Societies at the time of application.
• Informal groups or collectives in which the majority of members are Singapore Citizens or PR can apply but the applicant (be it a member of the group or a legally constituted organisation) will have to take legal and financial responsibility on behalf of the collective.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Organisations constituted for non-secular purposes;
• Organisations and individuals that have outstanding evaluation reports from previous NAC grants;
• Organisations and individuals that have outstanding debts with the NAC at the time of application;
• Organisations and institutions receiving ongoing operating grants from the Government (with the exception of organisations supported through NAC’s Major Company Scheme);
• Companies Limited by Guarantee receiving Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) or NAC organisational funding;
• Individuals who are full-time/part-time employees of companies, whose training is required or organised by the company, are not eligible as the employer should bear the training costs. Employers should apply on behalf of their employees.

For more information, visit National Arts Council Singapore.