Culturally diverse museums and exhibitions. Cathartic, inspiring experiences and performances that only get better each year. Pair that with the most explosive array of food and drinks, and you get the Civic District – Singapore’s arts and culture precinct, where there’s something for everyone to feel and partake in.
There’s so much you can cover every day throughout the year, from free public installations to ticketed showcases and world-class performances. Here, we’ve pared it down to some upcoming features, ongoing festival installations and a few recurring programs for you, based on what kind of art lover you are!
For the curious to discover
‘Art is for everybody’, as the American pop-artist, Keith Haring once said. Whether you’re an art history major, budding lifestyle blogger or someone who simply enjoys a beautiful creation to marvel at with a loved one, there’s sure to be a piece you can connect with at the upcoming Light to Night Festival (10 January 2020 to 19 January 2020) or the current Singapore Biennale (22 November 2019 to 22 March 2020).
Part of Singapore Art Week, the Light to Night Festival is set to transform the exteriors of five of the Civic District’s iconic cultural institutions: the National Gallery Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, The Arts House, Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall, and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay into a sublime and ethereal world of imaginary cities through visual projections and outdoor installations. You’ll want to catch Optical Maze, featuring labyrinthine walkways on the Padang that glow and change with the beats of the night. For the full experience, head down on the weekends 10-11 January and 17-18 January 2020, when the streets will be taken over by the ultimate food bazaar, Art x Social.
Amanda Heng’s multi-disciplinary project Every Step Counts (2019) at the Esplanade Tunnel for the Singapore Biennale, extends this same spirit of openness to everyone. You can opt to participate in the performance’s act of walking. Chart your own journey through the Civic District or through participating Biennale museums, with the artist, a friend and complete strangers. Walk backwards, forwards, into each other, and find yourself revelling in how you’ve gone about your entire life with every step you take. Has it always been in the right direction?
For the kids and those who like getting their hands dirty
Looking for new routes to self-expression? Take the chance to help that hyper-imaginative child in your life do the same while you’re at it! The recurring craft-based programmes and activities at The Asian Civilisation Arts Museum are perfect for kids to socialise and get hands-on with creating. You’ll want to visit the upcoming INKredible Weekend (28 February – 1 March 2020) which not only features papermaking, but also stone seal carving and an assortment of Chinese heritage performances and visual works.
For the lovers of staged works
Welcome the year of the rat with works that celebrate this zodiac animal’s wit, imagination and curiosity at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2020. Highlights include 7 Sages of the Bamboo Grove, depicting the legend of the seven sages who save the people from authoritarian rule during the three kingdoms era. Another intriguing work, Unspoken Melodies: Silent Film Classics brings Western silent films to life with original scores performed by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra while the films are screened on stage.
For the literary art lovers
Love delving into a good narrative? Check out the Note for Note: Stop, Look & Listen performance on 10 January 2020 at The Arts House, a sonic collage of poems comprising words from 16 poets that depict city scenes. If you’re a fan of the renowned IQ84, don’t miss the installation, The Worlds of Murakami at the Arts House lawn.
For the audiophiles
A slew of increasingly experimental installations and music performances have been making their way to the Civic District, apart from the ever-bustling contemporary music scene at the Esplanade’s Outdoor Theatre.
Dive deep into some aural highlights such as Sound Like 20, an interactive sound installation inside the Esplanade (15 November 2019 – 5 April 2020) and the Singapore Biennale installations Am I A Ghost? and Zakkublan in collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto at the National Gallery. These installations explore complex concepts that integrate multimedia and audience participation, culminating in sonic moments which are sure to leave a lasting impression.
If you’re feeling more in tune for a classical evening, the Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall has got you covered with a range of recitals, orchestral and theatrical performances lined up. Catch the New Year’s Eve Countdown Concert (31 December 2019) and works running throughout the year by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, amongst others.
Arts in the Civic District is an initiative by the National Arts Council which features both free and ticketed arts and culture activities, visit their website for the latest updates.
This post is in partnership with the National Arts Council.
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