An Arts Agenda for Penang
By Elizabeth Su, Julia Tan
August 2016 COVER STORY
As with excellence in sports, the arts develop best if a nurturing ecosystem is in place. Such conditions require passion from the people, funds from sponsors and support from the state. How these ingredients are best used is the big question.The BeginningsThere have been many art societies in Penang throughout its history. It was as early as 1920, for example, that Penang Impressionists was formed. No doubt this society’s membership consisted mostly of English housewives (given the prevailing colonialist attitude...
Elizabeth Su
is a Mason Fellow from Harvard. She believes that one of the best ways to learn is to ask the right questions.
Julia Tan
went to primary and secondary school at Convent Pulau Tikus before continuing sixth form at St. Xavier’s Institution; any other school was out of the question. She misses the fried rice at the school canteen, and laments the passing of the wan tan mee lady.
