Choo Thiam Siew 朱添寿 (1951 - )

Choo Thiam Siew is regarded as one of the influential figures in shaping Singapore’s cultural landscape today. Trained as a horticulturist, Choo graduated with a Bachelor of Horticulture from the University of Canterbury and a Masters in Forest Management from the Australian National University. Choo spent close to 2 decades with the Parks and Recreation Department (now the National Parks Board), before moving into the arts in 1996. He served as CEO of the National Arts Council (NAC) from 1996 to 2003 and was the President of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts from 2003 to 2014 and Chief Executive of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre from 2014-2017.

Formally trained in Chinese calligraphy, Choo developed a passion for the artform at the age of 11 and studied under renowned Singaporean calligrapher Chang Sow Yam for 2 decades. Choo brings together his deep grounding in Chinese poetry, language, history, philosophy and culture with his command of the brush to create original and meaningful works, marking him as a distinctive and well-rounded calligrapher. He is also well-versed in classical Chinese poetry and is a published poet, having released his first collection of personal poems in 2001. Throughout his career, he has remained closely engaged with Singapore's art scene and an active participant in its growth.