About

Centre for the Arts (CFA), as part of the Office of Student Affairs, is committed to enriching student life by creating a vibrant, inclusive space for students to experience the arts.

CFA actively encourages students to embrace interdisciplinary learning, and explore new frontiers through their art. Innovative collaborations with faculty members and established arts practitioners are regularly encouraged and supported through its various platforms. CFA also initiated the Arts for All framework to expand both the scope and reach of the arts as a vehicle for transformative education.

Beyond overseeing key arts activities on campus and nurturing the development of the NUS Arts Groups, CFA is dedicated to making the arts an integral part of university life. In doing so, CFA aims to foster an enduring community of passionate, socially-aware student leaders who will shape the future with creativity and compassion.

Timeline

1949 The University of Malaya in Singapore is established, followed shortly by the University of Malaya’s Music Society under the guidance of Paul Abishenagaden (1914-2011).
1955 The University of Malaya Art Museum, Singapore’s first art museum, opens with its first curator, Michael Sullivan (1916-2013). It would later seed NUS Museum’s South and Southeast Asian Collection.
1963 William Willetts (1918-1995) succeeds Michael Sullivan as the second curator for the University Art Museum, establishing Southeast Asian ceramics as a field of study and highlighting materials that were previously unknown in the art world.
1968 The University Military Band is formed by the University. This group would later become the NUS Wind Symphony.
1969 An informal survey by the University of Singapore’s Student Union recommended that a Centre for Fine Arts be established.
1973 University of Malaya Art Museum is closed. The collection is moved to the National Museum of Singapore.

A campus Chinese orchestra is established that would later become NUS Chinese Orchestra.
1977 Indian dance and Chinese dance classes are first held on campus. These classes would later evolve into NUS Indian Dance and NUS Chinese Dance.

Mrs Santha Bhaskar ran the early classes in Indian dance and she still leads the group as Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer more than 40 years later.
1978 The Centre For Musical Activities (CMA) is conceived by Vice-Chancellor Dr Kwan Sai Keong (1920-1981), himself an artist and violinist.
1979 CMA is established at No. 5 Dalvey Estate under the directorship of Mr Paul Abisheganaden.

Paul Abishenagaden also established a Concert Orchestra on campus which would later become the NUS Symphony Orchestra.
1980 Nanyang University and Singapore University merge to form the National University of Singapore (NUS). The Lee Kong Chian Museum, comprising mostly Chinese art is transferred to NUS.
1980s-1990s The University of Malaya Art Museum collection is brought back from the National Museum of Singapore to NUS but remains in storage.
1981 The Music Education Lab is established to explore the possibilities of computer and electronic applications in music. This group would later be known at the Electronic Music Lab.
1984 Regular lunchtime concerts (later known as Esso Campus Concerts then ExxonMobil Campus Concerts) started by CMA at NUS Theatrette (LT13), jointly organised with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
1985 CMA moves to the newly-completed Runme Shaw CFA Studios on the Kent Ridge campus.

The NUS Malay Dance group is established. This group would change its name to NUS Ilsa Tari in 1998.
1987 NUS Jazz Ballet (later known as NUS Dance Synergy), NUS Indian Instrumental Ensemble and NUS Piano Ensemble are all established.
1991 Campus Concerts wins the Youth Service Award, the highest accolade for youth services in Singapore.

NUS Theatre is established under the stewardship of Dr Tong Chee Kiong. This group was a precursor to what would later be known as NUS Stage.
1992 NUS Dance Ensemble is established by (then) undergraduate student Zaini Mohd Tahir. Zaini still leads the Ensemble as Artistic Director.
1993 The Centre For the Arts is established under the directorship of Emeritus Professor Edwin Thumboo.
1997 Noted Singapore artist Ng Eng Teng (1934-2001) makes the first of three major donations of his works to NUS Museums. These are displayed at the NUS Central Library.
1998 The first NUS Arts Festival is held.
1999 Esso Campus Concerts is renamed ExxonMobil Campus Concerts.
2000 The University Cultural Centre by then Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam.
2001 NUStudios Film Productions, CFA’s film and television group is established along with hip-hop dance group NUS Dance Blast!
2002 Ng Eng Teng’s estate donates more than a thousand works to the University.

NUS Museums opens at UCC, comprising the collections from the Lee Kong Chian Museum, University of Malaya Art Museum and Ng Eng Teng donations.
2003 NUS Chinese Drama is established.
2004 The Centre for the Arts is renamed NUS Centre For the Arts (CFA).

NUS Museums becomes an institution of CFA.
2005 CFA’s founding Director, Professor Edwin Thumboo is succeeded by CFA’s second Director, Christine Khor.
2006 NUS Museums is renamed NUS Museum.

NUS Stage is established, following in the traditions of NUS Theatre.
2008 NUS Baba House opens under the management of NUS Museum, and with it, the Straits Chinese Collection.
2009 The Tan Ean Kiam Arts Awards is established to recognise the successes of CFA’s student arts groups.
2012 The Paul Abisheganaden Grant for Artistic Excellence is set up to recognise and encourage emerging artists within NUS in music and other forms of performing arts.
2015 The Performing and Visual Arts scholarship is launched by CFA and the NUS Office of Admissions in partnership to develop young scholars inclined towards the arts.

CFA’s third Director, Sharon Tan is appointed.
2016 NUS Museum wins inaugural UMAC award for innovative museological practice.
2018 NUS’ various CAC groups become a part of CFA’s Talent Development and Programming arm.

Following six months of renovation works, the University Cultural Centre is reopened with improved functionality, production capability and environmental efficiency.

The NUSChoir wins ‘Choir of the World’ at the historic Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod

NUS Centre For the Arts celebrates its first 25 years with a gala reception prior to the opening of the NUS Arts Festival 2018. The Guest of Honour was Minister Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.
2023 Centre for the Arts becomes part of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), alongside other aspects of student life outside-of-the-classroom, including student services, housing admission and residential life, student organisations, student leaders’ training, community engagement, integration and service learning, student support and wellness, as well as disability support.