Arts & Festivals, who really cares? In this public talk held in conjunction with the Singapore Arts Festival, directors of well-known festivals will come together and debate how artists can help define cultures and how arts festivals can be a catalyst for a creative, vibrant society. The talk will take place at the LASALLE College of the Arts on Friday 20 May 2011. It will be a great opportunity to discuss the role of arts in society within the atmosphere of the Singapore Arts Festival Keynote speaker Ms Robyn Archer, Creative Director of the Centenary of Canberra (2013) and Artistic Director of the Light in Winter, Melbourne, Australia, will endeavor to explore these questions and more. Her speech will be followed by a lively panel discussion which includes well-known festival directors such as:

• Ms Grace Lang, Programme Director Hong Kong Arts Festival Society, Hong Kong, China
• Ms Nele Hertling, Member of Strategy Group, A Soul for Europe, Berlin; Former Director Hebbel-Theatre, Berlin; Director European Capital of Culture Berlin, 1988, Germany
• Dr Robert Liew, Managing Director Arts Management Associates, Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters, Singapore
• Mr Bernard Faivre d'Arcier, Vice-President Biennale de la Danse de Lyon; Former Director Festival d’Avignon, France

An associate event of the Singapore Arts Festival, it is organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), LASALLE College of the Arts and the European Festivals Association (EFA) as part of the part of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers. Admission is free but you need to register at http://asef.org/index.php?option=com_project&task=view&id=698 or by emailing Claire.wilson@asef.org