Astro in collaboration with Five Arts Centre has awarded grants worth a total of RM34, 000 to five (5) Malaysian artists through the Krishen Jit � Astro Fund as part of Astro�s on-going commitment to continue supporting Malaysia�s art landscape. Over the years, the fund which is inspired by the late theatre legend Dato� Krishen Jit, has realised the dreams of 49 local artists with a total disbursement of RM361,000.
The five (5) grants were presented to Agnes Le Agama, Anrie Too, Kelvin Wong, Christine May Yong, Lim Pei Ern, and Ridhwan Saidi. This year, an allocation of RM34,000 is distributed into grants ranging from RM2,000 to RM20,000 each for training, workshops, attachments or residencies, experimental productions, writing, or creating new work in music, dance, theatre, writing, visual or performance art.
Tan Sri Datuk Norliza Rofli, Director at the Department of Culture and Arts, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia who is also on the selection panel of the fund said, �This will see the reserve investing directly to the growing Malaysian arts landscape and collaborating with Malaysian artists to bring new creative works to life on screen and on ground. We are excited that Astro is making this commitment to support Malaysia�s arts industry. Let the journey continue.�
Lim Pei Ern who receives RM8, 000 says, �I am so glad to be selected as one of the grantees. Krishen Jit - Astro Fund is showing its support to the project of Nyanyian Bumi. This is a collective project with dancers, myself representative Malaysia, Aco Ridwan (Indonesia), and Atsushi Heki (Japan) who are sharing our differences in background and culture, working on the idea, and concept of body in three different dimensions. The project looks at the similarities in traditions practiced (songs, dances, rituals, etc.) and draws inspiration from the traditional chanting of South Sulawesi.�
The Krishen Jit - Astro Fund has been utilised for various trainings, workshops, attachments or residencies, experimental productions, writing, or creating new work in music, dance, theatre, writing, crafts, visual or performance art that assist grantees in achieving their artistic ambitions. This initiative aspires to keep the creative spirit of Krishen Jit alive with the passing of the torch of art to a new generation.
The selection panellists for the Krishen Jit - Astro Fund in 2017 include: -
- Tan Sri Datuk Norliza Rofli � Director, Department of Culture and Arts, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia.
- Jolyn Gasper � Senior Assistant Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Corporate Responsibility, Community Affairs, ASTRO.
- Leow Puay Tin � Playwright and Researcher, Sunway University.
- Ravi Navaratnam � Representative from Five Arts Centre.
- Mac Chan � Representative from Five Arts Centre.
This year the Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund received 45 applications for projects in dance, theatre, film, video, publication, visual arts, music, animation, education, training and interdisciplinary work.
