EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE It seems almost obvious that in the face of the incredible uncertainty of this current moment – that reclaiming and reaffirming the rituals of our daily lives has become ever more important as a bulwark against the shifting sands of contemporary existence. The constancy, history and repetitiveness of social rituals seem almost a comfort and source of solace. For many of us, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) is an annual ritual we all look forward to. This year, celebrate a long-awaited return to whatever new normal awaits us, as the SIFA team deliver bold new artistic experiences for everyone to enjoy safely, of course. Arts House Limited (AHL) as the festival organiser is proud to have with us Natalie Hennedige to helm SIFA as Festival Director from 2022 to 2024. As a recipient of the National Arts Council Young Artist Award in 2007 and the JCCI Singapore Foundation Culture Award in 2010, Natalie is known for presenting progressive, cross-disciplinary work exploring contemporary issues. Anchoring the national arts calendar from 20 May to 5 June, SIFA 2022 will enter a thrilling new chapter. SIFA 2022’s visual palette of red, green and blue core is built on the original SIFA colours from the 1977 festival. As a homage to the Festival’s genesis, these colours, rekindled in 2022, have now taken on saturated hues as a sign of SIFA’s embrace of the new digital of performance and the arts. This is but a small reflection of how, as organisers, we are embracing the future trajectories of art while acknowledging the rich legacy of the festival.
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