Singaporeans, Shift Your Paradigm

Health Promotion Board uses the arts to promote positive thinking
See things in a more positive light this month with a series of art events brought to you by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to kickstart the Positive Thinking for a Healthy Mind campaign, which aims to promote optimism for better mental wellbeing.

2 Optimism is a mindset in which an individual s positive expectancies of a certain situation lead to engagement and an increased effort to attain desired outcomes or goals. It has been linked to better physical and psychological wellbeing. People who have positive outlooks tend to cope better with stress, manage challenges more effectively and pursue goals more confidently. Optimistic people use effective coping strategies and social support to deal with both controllable and uncontrollable stressors, and are flexible and responsive to the situation at hand.

3 HPB s Positive Thinking for a Healthy Mind campaign aims to raise awareness of how optimism enhances mental wellbeing, and to encourage Singaporeans to apply tips on how to be optimistic in different situations in life.

4 The campaign is a three-month long one comprising a series of art events to encourage Singaporeans to accentuate the positive. It will culminate in a street festival on World Mental Health Day in October to celebrate the importance of positive thinking.

Free visual and performing art events at Esplanade
5 To help Singaporeans accentuate the positive, HPB has sponsored a series of arts events at Esplanade.

6 HPB has specially commissioned Shift Your Paradigm , an art installation by renowned Indonesian comic book illustrator Popok Tri Wahyudi. Inspired by the idea of empowerment and finding strength and freedom in daily life, the work will be installed on pillars at Esplanade Courtyard from now till 26 July 2009. Please see the attached visual of Shift Your Paradigm and information on Popok Tri Wahyudi at Annex C.

7 A series of uplifting swing jazz performances by various artistes will be held at the Esplanade Concourse as part of the arts centre s At The Concourse series from 20 to 26 July. In addition, the On the Waterfront series at Esplanade s Outdoor Theatre will feature Good Vibes, showcasing the music of local singer-songwriters Tay Kewei and Inch Chua, as well as guitarist Alvin Khoo and singer Sara Wee from the band 53A, as a positive channel for expression. The performance schedules are attached at Annex B.

New community arts programme
8 A new community arts programme will be rolled out to the public to engage Singaporeans in learning more about mental health. It will use the creative arts as an interactive channel to make mental health education more accessible, enjoyable and impactful for the target audience.

9 The programme will focus on the dimensions of self esteem, positive emotions and positive relationships with others. Participants will be encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings in relation to self-esteem through the use of creative media such as oil pastels and chalk, and experience positive emotions in the learning process. The programme will be run by qualified art therapists at community venues between July 2009 and March 2010.

10 The challenges of living in a fast-paced society like Singapore can be better managed with positive thinking, which is related to better mental wellbeing. HPB has arranged for a series of arts events at Esplanade as well as follow-up community programmes to communicate the message that being optimistic is good for both mental and physiological health, in a relaxing and social space. We hope that through art, the public will be inspired to adopt positive thinking in daily life, said Dr Koh Yang Huang, Senior Deputy Director, Mental Health Education, Adult Health Division, HPB.

11 Participation in arts activities involves both a process of creation, and expression. By engaging in arts in a group, people find a common connection and bond, helping to build social relationships. When an individual completes a work of art, he is imbued with a sense of satisfaction and achievement, increased self esteem and joy, all of which are positive mental attributes. Art engages emotions and the intellect, provides an outlet for expression and has the potential to alleviate worries and responsibilities.