The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, or NAFA as it’s more affectionately known, is a beloved arts institution that has trained plenty of our nation’s artists, creatives and bright young minds, while also contributing to the importance of art and design in our society.
This year, in line with its 85th anniversary celebrations, Singapore’s pioneer arts institution has announced a refreshed brand identity — complete with a new logo, new brand colours, and an updated manifesto that communicates their vision for the next generation of artists and creatives globally.
‘Courage to Create’ — NAFA’s New Brand Identity and Logo
‘Courage to Create’ is an inspiring mantra that encourages aspiring creatives, future talents, as well as NAFA students, staff and alumni, to embrace their unique pathways, and to be fearless and resolute in pursuing their passions. NAFA’s new logo has been crafted to be sleek, versatile, and bold in the modern era, with the creative stroke in the final letter “A” paralleling its adaptability for diverse art disciplines, while also reminiscent of a brushstroke, a dancer’s sustained movement, or even musical notation.
A 3.5 min-long brand manifesto video showcases NAFA’s multitude of arts talents, which then culminates in a colossal figure that rises up across various Southeast Asian cityscapes. The giant itself is a metaphor for the students’ immense potential, creating positive change and massive impact in their chosen paths. It’s this message of empowerment that NAFA aims to nurture their students with, in order to see them become the next generation of leaders and changemakers in their respective fields.
‘Courage to Create’ Artwork and A Video Series by NAFA Students
Guided by award-winning Senior Lecturer (Design & Media) Yix Quek, two NAFA students have interpreted ‘Courage to Create’ in creative illustrations which liven up spaces across NAFA’s three campuses. Experience these spaces here, on NAFA’s TikTok channel, or during NAFA’s Open House in January 2024.
Above: Artwork by two NAFA Design & Media students — Nur Rihhadatul Aisy Binte Romi and Lee Shu Ting.
a tiktok video series by nafa students
Furthermore, we hear from the students what the concept of “Courage to Create” means to them.
In a series of videos uploaded to social media platform TikTok, student-and-host Judah (Theatre), went around the campus to conduct street interviews with his fellow peers from various disciplines, representing Design & Media, Music, and Fashion Studies.
Each of them had to complete an artistic challenge picked out from a Gachapon machine — we see Patricia, for instance, play her moving final recital piece on her violin; Chika showing us her graduate collection that’s all about the freedom of self-expression; while Marc shares about “being vulnerable” and “embracing the unknown in order to create something new and meaningful” through his work.
You can watch the videos on NAFA’s TikTok page here.
NAFA — A Founding Member of the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS)
In the same spirit of change, NAFA is now a founding member of the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS), which will welcome its first intake of students in 2024. As Singapore’s first arts university, it will offer degree-level programmes to artists, designers, educators, researchers, and more.
NAFA’s role in UAS taps on the pioneering institution’s decades of experience in arts education, as the school is poised to continue providing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, mentored by an experienced and dedicated community faculty to nurture the region’s next generation of talents. NAFA’s faculty will be further developed through inter-faculty exchanges of pedagogy and practice.
Watch the brand manifesto video here. More information on NAFA and its new brand identity, on NAFA’s social media platforms and website.
