When Patriotism Meets Professionalism: What MINDEF's New Volunteer Roles Mean for Singapore's Creative Industry

MINDEF has introduced three new volunteer pathways for people in the performing arts and live events industry — including dancers, musicians, singers, emcees, and behind-the-scenes talent in sound engineering, live video, multi-camera operations and stage management.

These volunteers will support MINDEF and SAF productions and events, including national occasions such as the National Day Parade, through a partnership with So Drama! Entertainment. Since the wider Singapore Defence Volunteer Network launched in May, more than 300 people have already signed up.

On paper, it's a heart-warming story: Singaporeans giving their time and talent in support of national events. I don't doubt the sincerity of those who have volunteered. What gives me pause is the broader message it sends about what creative talent is worth.

The pattern isn't new, but the platform is bigger

Anyone who has worked professionally in events, production or the performing arts in Singapore will recognise this familiar refrain.

"It's good exposure."

"It's for a worthy cause."

"You'll be part of something meaningful."

For years, these have been common justifications for expecting creative professionals to work for little or no pay — whether at community events, weddings, charity functions or even corporate productions.

What's different this time isn't the concept of volunteering. It's who's introducing it.

MINDEF is one of Singapore's best-resourced government institutions, supporting productions that are among the country's most visible public events. When an institution of this scale creates volunteer pathways for skilled production work, it inevitably influences perceptions across the wider industry. Even if unintentionally, it risks reinforcing the idea that certain forms of creative labour can reasonably be requested without financial compensation.

Skilled work doesn't stop being skilled because it's patriotic

Nobody expects doctors to work for free because healthcare is meaningful. Lawyers volunteering their expertise on advisory boards are contributing professional judgement in a governance capacity, not replacing paid legal practice. Likewise, engineers who volunteer on committees are offering strategic expertise rather than carrying out commercial engineering projects.

Yet creative professionals often occupy a different space in public perception.

A sound engineer managing a complex live production, a stage manager coordinating dozens of moving parts, or a multi-camera director overseeing a live broadcast performs the same specialised work regardless of whether the event is commercial or patriotic. The expertise, responsibility and years of experience required do not change because the audience happens to be celebrating National Day.

Calling one engagement "volunteering" and another "employment" doesn't change the nature of the work. It only changes whether that labour is financially recognised.

I say this as someone who runs a small creative studio and has spent years working alongside freelancers — the very emcees, dancers, technicians and production professionals this initiative seeks to engage. One of the greatest challenges they face is convincing clients that creative work is a profession rather than a favour.

When prestigious institutions frame highly skilled creative work as volunteerism, even for well-intentioned reasons, it risks giving underpaying clients another justification: if a national institution can ask for this voluntarily, why can't we?

The counter-argument deserves to be heard

To be fair, MINDEF has not said these volunteers will replace paid production crews, and there is currently no evidence that existing commercial positions are being eliminated.

The volunteer roles appear to sit alongside So Drama! Entertainment's professional production operations rather than replacing them. Many Singaporeans also genuinely want to contribute their talents to national events without expecting payment, just as professionals in other fields volunteer their expertise for causes they believe in.

Those are valid points.

I also don't believe anyone at MINDEF set out to undermine Singapore's creative industry. The intention is almost certainly to encourage greater community participation and strengthen public involvement in national events.

But good intentions and long-term industry effects are not always the same thing.

Unlike advisory or governance roles, live production work exists within an established commercial marketplace. Every performance, rehearsal, production shift and show call has a recognised market value, and every volunteer filling a skilled role represents work that, in most commercial settings, would ordinarily command professional rates.

That distinction matters.

What I'd actually like to see

I don't believe the answer is to abolish volunteer opportunities. Genuine civic participation should be encouraged, and many hobbyists or aspiring performers may welcome the opportunity to contribute to national events.

The better approach is to draw a clearer distinction between participation and professional practice.

Volunteer pathways make perfect sense for community engagement, enthusiasts and supporting roles designed primarily to broaden public involvement.

But where specialised production expertise is required — roles that the commercial events industry typically performs as paid professional work — institutions with the resources to do so should continue engaging experienced practitioners through fair commercial arrangements.

Those two models can comfortably coexist.

Singapore rightly celebrates innovation, entrepreneurship and creative excellence. If we want a sustainable creative economy, we should also recognise that creative professionals deserve to be compensated for the expertise they have spent years developing.

Culture doesn't run on applause alone.

Like every other profession, it also runs on invoices.

— D.T., for FLUX Media