Sea’s S$650,000 bid for PM Wong’s guitar to support music dreams of underserved youth
The contribution also supports performance platforms such as the Sing60 Music Festival
[SINGAPORE] Consumer Internet company Sea has won Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s signed guitar with a S$650,000 bid, supporting efforts to provide underserved youth’s access to music.
The online auction took place on Nov 12 with the company outbidding the other two competitors.
PM Wong donated the signed guitar in support of Gift a Guitar in April this year. Gift a Guitar is a national movement by non-profit The Rice Company Ltd (TRCL) and local charity The Music Society, Singapore (SGMUSO), to provide underserved youth with guitars and music lessons.
The funds raised from the auction will go towards supporting 600 such individuals aged 13 to 19 from communities across Singapore.
They will each receive a new acoustic guitar, structured lessons delivered by professional instructors and opportunities for mentorship with local musicians, said TRCL and SGMUSO on Saturday (Dec 6).
The contribution also supports performance platforms such as the Sing60 Music Festival, allowing participants to gain confidence, develop teamwork and build a sense of belonging through music.
The winning bid marks “one of Singapore’s most significant philanthropic contributions to a youth arts initiative this year”, noted TRCL and SGMUSO, adding that it “underscores both philanthropic leadership and a belief that music can create meaningful, long-term change in young lives”.
Sea’s chairman and chief executive officer Forrest Li said that owning the guitar represents “a shared belief that young people should have avenues to explore and express themselves through music”.
Santhiya Subra, the head of arts and community at TRCL, shared that the contribution will allow the non-profit to provide accessible lessons, mentorship and platforms for youth to perform and grow.
“We are grateful for the support that strengthens our collective effort to ensure every young person has the opportunity to learn and participate meaningfully in the arts,” she added.
Youth beneficiaries of Gift a Guitar made their debut performances at the Sing60 Music Festival at Fort Canning Park that began on Dec 6.
On the opening night, 60 young guitarists mainly from The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, performed Me and My Guitar – an original work composed for the movement – alongside home-grown singer Awi Rafael as well as SGMUSO chairman and Timbre Group founder Danny Loong.
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