Inclusiveness through the arts put on stage again

Singapore

HAVING concluded a successful first run last year, Sunburst: The Business Times-CapitaLand Fundraising Concert, will be staged again on Nov 8 to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore (MDAS) and the School of the Arts (SOTA) student assistance fund.

Organised by The Business Times, the concert has raised S$250,000 to date with strong continuous backing from sponsors. CapitaLand Limited, through its philanthropic arm CapitaLand Hope Foundation, has returned as the presenting sponsor of the concert for the second consecutive year. The initiative has also gained support from main sponsors OCBC Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, as well as other corporate and individual donors.

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin will be the guest of honour for the concert.

The show is produced by Global Cultural Alliance, a non-profit arts and culture organisation, and curated by artistic director Jeremiah Choy.

This year's edition - themed "strength" - will see music and dance students and alumni from SOTA alongside competitive wheelchair ballroom dancers and a vocal-songwriting student from MDAS taking centre stage.

Concert highlights include performances by rapper-beatboxer Wheelsmith, who is also a wheelchair rugby national player, and award-winning pianist Dr Azariah Tan, who battles congenital hearing loss.

Singaporean musician and Sota alumnus Bennett Bay, who has performed at local and international music festivals such as Singapore's Neon Lights Festival and Electric Picnic in Ireland, is also slated to perform.

Wong Wei Kong, editor of The Business Times, said: "We have always believed in the importance of inclusiveness through the arts, and we hope Sunburst will inspire and empower the young and creative individuals in our community to press on in the face of adversity.

"I would also like to thank all the sponsors for their continued support: this concert would not have been possible without those who share the same belief as we do."

Mr Tan Seng Chai, group chief people officer of CapitaLand Group and executive director for CapitaLand Hope Foundation, said: "By supporting the artistry and needs of these young beneficiaries, we seek to enable and empower them, to fulfil their fullest potential and create a better future for themselves and their loved ones."