Synopsis:

On 3 June 2018, it was announced that members of the public may submit names from then till 4 July 2018 for the position of Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) in Singapore.

The current Arts NMP Kok Heng Leun will be stepping down at the end of his term in August 2018. We would thus like to call for interested and eligible individuals from the arts community to step forward as potential candidates for the new Arts NMP.

As part of this open call, a Town Hall for members of the arts community will be convened, where attendees may find out more about the role and responsibilities of the NMP, as well as engage with the current Arts NMP and potential candidates.

During the Town Hall, Heng Leun will provide a brief overview of his experience as a possible frame of reference for potential candidates, and to take any questions from the floor. Potential candidates will then be invited to share their statements of interest, followed by a moderated discussion on various issues.

There will be an online platform set up for the arts community and the public to express their support for the candidates, which opens once the Town Hall ends, running until 11.59pm on 1 July 2018 (Sunday).

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Nominations
To stand as a candidate, please email artssgsecretariat@gmail.com by 12.00pm, 22 June 2018 (Friday).

We will respond with more information about the necessary preparations for the Town Hall. If you are interested to stand, but are unable to attend the Town Hall, please still write to us.

Registration
The Town Hall is open to the public, including members of the arts community. Due to limited capacity, please register your attendance at the Town Hall here: http://bit.ly/nmp_rsvp

Accessibility: If you are attending the event and need assistance with any accessibility requirements, please get in touch.

For latest updates
For more information and the latest updates on the nomination process, you may follow the Facebook page at: http://fb.com/artsnmpsgsecretariat.

Enquiries
Please direct all enquiries or concerns to artssgsecretariat@gmail.com.

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About the role of the Arts NMP
The Arts NMP is required to attend Parliament when it is in session, and can be expected – to the best of their ability – to represent a range of concerns about the arts and possibly those intersecting with other socio-political and economic issues, as well as to contribute to Parliamentary discussions on policies, laws, and other matters of national interest. Based on the experiences of previous Arts NMPs, the role of the Arts NMP also includes being willing and able to listen to the needs of those in the arts, and to engage and negotiate with stakeholder individuals, organisations, and government bodies.

At their discretion, the Arts NMP may also put forward perspectives and questions that reflect thinking in, through, and about the arts, in Parliament – a space where the arts is rarely spoken about or referenced. In this respect, the role of the Arts NMP has the potential to include advocacy, diplomacy, and active participation in broader civil and political discourses at the national level.

Since 2009, the arts community has undertaken its own open nomination processes to put forth NMP candidates of their choice. However, it is important to note that that the position of the Arts NMP, if successfully nominated for Parliament, is an unelected one, without a clearly delineated electorate or constituency.

With each Arts NMP, the responsibility has been growing, but the role still remains particular to the individual who assumes it, even as the position embraces an increasing appetite for the arts to be an active and integral part of society and politics.

About the Secretariat
During this nomination process, the Arts NMP candidates will receive administrative and logistical support from a secretariat staffed by individual volunteers from the arts community with interest and/or past experience in arts and advocacy.