Step into the Arts Street and be overwhelmed by the variety of activities surrounding you; each with their own uniqueness, each with their own lure. Year to year, expect to see the ever-growing art wall, filled with intricate pieces by our home-grown artists. Last year, it reached a record length of 60m. Love what you see? Own it! Most works are indeed for sale.
Feel the beat of street buskers as they intrigue you with funky acts from musical performances, juggling, stand-up comedy to balloon modelling, dancing, miming and living statue showcases. Want a little hands-on action? Explore the numerous art booths offering creative handicrafts, live painting sessions and even engaging workshops for the little ones!
Expect the unexpected each year as we bring in featured artists from around the world! In 2007, you would have experienced the fascinating Italian street painting and the pop culture inspired Graffiti sketching right before your eyes.
Unlike your regular snotty art events, the Art Street's casual setting lets you interact freely with the artists, so you can ask them anything from their inspirations to their brushes and paint!
The inaugural Singapore Arts Street was held outside Tanglin Shopping Centre in mid-2006. Intended to bring various forms of art into the lives of ordinary people through active awareness building, the SAS provides free exhibiting and performing space for artists and performers to showcase their inspirational works and performances on the street. 39 artists participated in SAS 2006 through exhibitions, performances, demonstrations and art workshops, among other activities.
We were greatly encouraged by the positive feedback we received from the visitors to Singapore Arts Street 2006. Following the successful conclusion of the Singapore Arts Street 2006 and driven by our own vision and passion, we began to engage the National Arts Council (NAC) with the intent to grow this unique event further, through government support.
Our second event, Singapore Arts Street 2007, was graced by several representatives from NAC. NAC Outreach found our event to have great potential and recommended us to the various CDCs, thus opening the channel for our event to be brought closer to the heartland community. For Singapore Arts Street 2007, the number of participating artists grew to 61, while the number of visitors grew to 18,000.
Singapore Arts Street 2008 marks a new milestone for us, as we will be co-organising Singapore Arts Street @ North East with a CDC for the first time. Our event in Hougang will also be supported (in spirit or in kind) by Community ArtReach, People’s Association, National Arts Council and Aljunied Town Council.
RECEPTION BY VISITORS Last, but certainly most importantly, Singapore Arts Street 2008 received close 120 positive comments from participants, visitors and officials of different nationalities and ages. The following is a small selection of four quotes, "The purpose of bringing Singapore Arts Street to the heartlands was “two-fold”. It would expose residents to various forms of art without them having to go to the city, and also provide a “very good platform” for local artists to show their talents to more people." - Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Senior Minister of State for Finance & Transport and MP for Aljunied GRC, Source: Today, 23 June 2008 "Thank you for bringing the Arts into the heartland... You have touched hearts and inspired minds. Keep it up!"- Denise Yip, Chairman CCC Serangoon. "I'm so proud of Singapore. Singapore has many wonderful artists. The drawing is amazing!” - Simone Ong, 7-years old. "My only regret is that I've not participated in the Arts Street until this year... So many diverse artists and so many interesting souls in Singapore... Who can call us a cultural desert now?!” - Elfie Sam
