[Featured photo: Earth, one of the three acts of Elements@SMU that showcased the elements of Air, Water and Earth]

Over 1000 audience members witnessed Elements@SMU, a site-specific performance that worked within the challenges and confines of the newly renovated SMU Campus Green. The performance showcased the elements of Air, Water and Earth, through the use of music and sets.

Elements@SMU was the opening highlight of this year’s SMU Arts Festival, held on 8 September 2017. Co-presented by SMU and Six.5 Urban Dance Company, it also featured 15 dancers from SMU Eurhythmix. The visual spectacle was covered by both The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, with the latter featuring it on the front page.

Into its third year, SMU Arts Festival 2017 organised 35 unique events, of which 23 were put up by the university’s clubs under the Arts & Cultural Fraternity (ACF). With the launch of many new SMU facilities this year, “Pages” was taken on as a festival theme.  Overall, the 10-day long festival featured various music, dance and theatrical productions, as well as visual arts exhibitions and workshops. In all, the festival attracted 6300 attendees.

Aside from Elements@SMU, productions like such as Bailamos XIII: The Golden Ticket (by SMU Caderas Latina), SambieXta (by Sambiesta) and Progression: Notes to Nodes (by SMU Chinese Orchestra and SMU Symphonia) performed to good reviews from surveyed audience members. Early bird tickets for Bailaimos XIII: The Golden Ticket were sold out in two days and culminated in two packed showcases to over 800 audience members. A perennial crowd favourite, Sambiesta, the alumni arm of SMU Samba Masala, wowed the audience with its high-energy percussion tenth anniversary production, featuring multiple guest artistes such as fire jugglers, electronic dance music and singers. Progression: Notes to Nodes, conceptualised by the legendary composer, Eric James Watson, presented a unique fusion of both Eastern and Western music in one seating.

The festival presented some firsts. A Festival Village was created that married performances, food, art and crafts over the weekends. STORiES, a curated artisanal craft market, was set up to support the enterprising spirit of student traders. Items sold included limited-edition wooden phone covers with intricate engraving and handmade watercolour designed notebooks with personalised calligraphy. Dining in the Garden City sold mouth-watering delights served with a modern twist from various vendors such as Rainbow Burger, Butterscotch Beer Fish & Chips and Raclette Cheese. 

Launched in 2015, the festival is a ground-up approach where students provide creative inputs on the entire festival programming including its marketing, sponsorship, ticketing, operations and production. This year’s student organisation committee was made up of 29 members, mentored by staff from SMU’s Office of Student Life.

“With a dedicated student organising committee and staff who brought the festival to life, it really proves that an Arts Festival can add so much vibrancy and depth to our campus”, says Ko Yu Hui, Sponsorship and Partnership Director of this year’s festival and a third-year social science student at SMU.

Tessa Lim, a third year business student heading the student organising committee adds, “One of the key successes of the festival is its ability to engage the school community and general audience on a deeper and more personal level. Ultimately, it is in the satisfaction we hear from the audience’s applause and positive feedback that will continue to motivate the clubs and drive the arts culture.”

Links to media articles:

The Straits Times, 9 Sep 2017, Pg B13: Moving to the arts beat

Lianhe Zaobao, 9 Sep 2017, Pg 1: 新大生接受艺术洗礼

Lianhe Zaobao, 13 Sep 2017, Pg 3: 新大艺术节 拉近观众与艺术距离