In place for the next three years, the funding will be used by the National Heritage Board (NHB) and the National Arts Council (NAC) to expand programming and publicity, and build social and civic connections.

Noting that “a strong sense of place and local artistic content feature prominently in culturally vibrant places”, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) Grace Fu said the efforts will “deepen the distinctive character of places which make Singapore attractive and unique”.

Ms Fu, who announced the plan during her ministry’s Committee of Supply debate on Thursday (April 14), also spoke about the role of arts and culture in national identity.

“Local arts and culture are important touchstones of what it means to be Singaporean. In a very visceral way, through what we see, touch and hear, the arts hold up a mirror, that show us who we are,” she said.

Apart from recent events like the Car-Free Sundays launched in the Civic District in February, other efforts launched earlier to develop the two areas as distinct cultural spots include the restoration of some historic buildings, the addition of more green spaces, and making the spot more pedestrian-friendly.

To further efforts, the NAC is working with agencies such as Urban Redevelopment Authority, National Parks Board (NParks) and SportsSG, as well as National Gallery Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum, to develop outdoor and indoor experiences across sports, culture, food and entertainment. For example, the NAC is exploring bringing its signature programmes, such as Got To Move and Arts In Your Neighbourhood, to the Civic District. Discussions are ongoing to tap both programmes, as well as the Singapore Writers Festival, to add “diversity and vibrancy to the Civic District”, said the MCCY. The NAC will be sharing more details at a later date.

The NAC is also discussing with NParks to extend sustainable light art festival i-Light Marina Bay from Marina Bay to the waterfront area. The two agencies are working with partners to see how they can make use of the outdoor spaces within the Civic District.

Meanwhile, the Singapore Night Festival, which is under the NHB’s purview, remains a programming mainstay for the Bras Basah-Bugis precinct. The Armenian Street Party, which was launched last month, will be an annual affair. An overhaul of a guide on the area’s museums, historic sites and other leisure, food and beverage spots, is expected to be ready by mid-July.

During the debate, Nominated Member of Parliament Kok Heng Leun had commented that the placemaking efforts seemed “top-down” and asked how the Government democratise the engagement process.

Ms Fu said this will evolve, citing the People’s Association’s (PA) PAssionArts programme as an example of how some local communities came to embrace the project and made it their own. “I think that should be the way to go. With the local community stepping forward, I think agencies like PA would gladly step back and let the locals have greater decision making,” she said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth Baey Yam Keng said placemaking efforts need to go hand in hand with community ownership and strong support from the arts and heritage groups. The Government also wants to help Singaporeans build a stronger sense of attachment to their surroundings in the heartlands and neighbourhoods, he added.

There will also be efforts to promote the traditional arts — which include art forms like Indian classical dance or Malay drums — to the younger generation. Mr Baey said the Government will continue to professionalise and nurture the next generation of talent in this area, noting that the NAC’s funding to traditional arts groups has almost doubled in the last five years from S$1.26 million in financial year 2011 to S$2.51 million in financial year 2015.

More traditional arts groups will be commissioned to produce programmes with interactive elements. For starters, NAC is working with the Traditional Arts Centre to develop an original and age-appropriate Chinese opera production to be performed in schools. The Stamford Arts Centre is also being redeveloped to have a traditional arts focus and is expected to be ready by next year.

At the pre-school level, the NAC will work with the Early Childhood Development Agency to further drive arts education for this group. The pre-school NAC-Arts Education Programmes, which provides children with access to quality art programmes, will be expanded from the pilot of 19 pre-schools last year to 55 centres, in partnership with anchor operators PAP Community Foundation and MY World Preschool. An arts-based pre-school — a pilot between the NAC and NTUC My First Skool — will be launched in June.

Source : Today – 14 Apr 2016

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These “significant investments” include works done on the National Gallery Singapore, dubbed the “new jewel of the Civic District” and the largest visual arts centre in the region, Mr Wong said during the Committee of Supply debate in Parliament.

For instance, a new Art Connector link the Gallery with City Hall MRT station is in the works. The connector will also include a community mural of self-potraits by Singaporeans.

The Gallery buildings themselves are “national icons” and its team has carefully restored the buildings and items found in them. One of the restoration works include that of a table specially designed in the 1920s for the former Supreme Court building, which has been used by seven Chief Justices in Singapore’s history, the minister said.

“The Gallery’s artworks are not yet ready, but we will have special sneak previews in April and May. This will allow Singaporeans to appreciate the Gallery’s architectural and historical significance,” Mr Wong said. “And when the Gallery opens in November, we will all get a chance to see some of the best visual art from Singaporean and South-east Asian masters.”

Other transformation works in the area include:

• The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) is completing its works this year, which include new Museum galleries and a new entrance opening onto the Singapore River.
• A lawn will be created in the portion of Empress Place between ACM and Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, after the space has been paved. The lawn can be used for concerts and events.
• The whole Civic District will be made more pedestrian friendly, with buildings connecting more smoothly to the waterfront and public artworks sprucing up the landscape.
• The Esplanade is upgrading its Forecourt, which will be reopened in August. Once done, it will be a garden landscape with shaded areas and seating for people to gather and to view performances. Beyond 2015, the possibility of developing mid-sized theatres at the Esplanade is being explored.

  

• Plans to enhance the Singapore Art Museum so that it is being properly conserved are being explored.
• First major revamp of the National Museum of Singapore since it re-opened in 2006 will be completed this September. The Museum will be transformed by multimedia experiences, public art and interactive spaces. The displays will be refreshed to include artefacts spanning 700-odd years of history, and especially from our post-1965 years.
• The new 8km commemorative trail, Jubilee Walk, will be launched this November, with clear markers to mark out the historic points along the trail.

“All of these are significant investments. It’s an important investment in our heritage, to remind us of the common history that unites us as a nation,” Mr Wong said.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 12 Mar 2015

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The main focus of the consultancy is to conceptualise and improve pedestrian connectivity and public spaces in the Civic District through landscaping works. The consultant team will be tasked to propose ways to improve connectivity to adjacent precincts, such as Fort Canning Park and Bras Basah, Bugis, as well as to the nearby City Hall MRT Station and the Marina Bay waterfront.

Green spaces such as parks and open plazas have become popular venues for community activities and outdoor arts and cultural events. Such spaces not only enhance and enrich community life, but add more vibrancy to our city. We are also inviting ideas to enhance the open spaces in Empress Place and Esplanade Park to boost the overall attraction of the precinct as an arts and cultural destination.

Both local and international firms are invited to participate in this project. Interested consultant teams are invited to submit their proposals by 31 Jan 2013. The expected completion date for the project is the first quarter of 2015.

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