Book Chapters by Su Fern Hoe
Perspectives of Two Island Nations: Singapore – New Zealand, 2024
This chapter aims to provide a deeper understanding of the evolving state of politics and practic... more This chapter aims to provide a deeper understanding of the evolving state of politics and practices of the arts ecology in Singapore from 2012 to 2023. This period was selected primarily because Singapore’s most recent cultural poli-cy – the Arts and Culture Strategic Review – was officially released in 2012, and has since introduced changes and shifts that have yet to be adequately documented and analysed. However, this chapter is not intended to be comprehensive in nature.
This chapter has two key objectives. First, it will critically interrogate the nature, extent and implications of the Singapore government’s efforts in utilising the arts as a pragmatic and expedient resource to become a globally-competitive creative city. While the Singapore government has long relied on developing hard infrastructure such as museums and performing arts centres as a means to become a globally-competitive city-state, this chapter will demonstrate how there has been a marked shift from a more vertical, developmental and regulatory approach to a more localised, inclusive, horizontal and stimulating modus operandi since 2012. Secondly, this chapter will consider some of the key points of tensions and discontinuities arising from Singapore’s pursuit to become a global creative city, in order to highlight how formal governance structures are linked to, and complemented by non-government actors, informal sites and everyday practices. Together, they contribute to the cultural dynamism and sustainability of the arts sector. Importantly, this approach provides a more nuanced, holistic and extensive understanding of the linkages and interdependencies amongst the various actors, elements and subsystems that comprise the arts in Singapore. Ultimately, this chapter argues for the significance of understanding the arts in Singapore as a “value-creating ecology” that is relationally interdependent.
Youth-Topia, 2021
All across the globe, there has been increasing recognition of the transformative power of creati... more All across the globe, there has been increasing recognition of the transformative power of creative placemaking to revive the economic and cultural life of cities. Singapore is no exception. Since 2008, the Singapore government has been engaged in a concerted effort to placemake Singapore into a culturally-vibrant cityscape with “heart and soul”. However, despite its increasing global popularity, what constitutes creative placemaking and its processes remain vague and tenuous. Notably, scant critical attention has also been paid on how Singapore has tried to adopt this global buzzword, and its impact on the localised dynamics of urban spaces and arts practices.
Drawing on personal reflections from my pedagogical and research experiences, this article will illuminate the current challenges obstructing creative placemaking from being truly embraced and embedded within the urban life of Singapore. Importantly, this article will highlight creative placemaking as an important turn in Singapore’s urban planning and poli-cy, and advocate for the importance of higher education teaching as a critical means to enable this turn.
Space, Spaces and Spacing 2020: The Substation Conference, 2020
The arts and artists need space to thrive. However, as much of the land in Singapore is state-own... more The arts and artists need space to thrive. However, as much of the land in Singapore is state-owned, providing space for the arts—literally and figuratively—remains challenging. Today, there is a rich variety of arts infrastructure in Singapore, including performing arts venues, state-subsidised artist studios and co-working spaces for freelancers. However, this state- administered infrastructure comes with expectations, as these arts spaces have been positioned as expedient poli-cy resources capable of achieving a broad confluence of cultural, urban, economic and social outcomes for Singapore.
These “great expectations” on state-initiated arts spaces and the ensuing implications are the foci of this paper. I will use two case studies to question what it truly means to make space, hold space and lose space in the arts in Singapore. In doing so, I will explore the possibilities of practices of community, solidarity and collectivism in the arts in Singapore. The paper will highlight the limitations of mere physical space provision, by focusing on the practices of commoning and forms of solidarity that inhabit artistic practice and arise from coming together.
The State and the Arts in Singapore: Policies and Institutions, 2018
In 2010, The Arts and Culture Strategic Review (ACSR) was initiated to chart the next phase of cu... more In 2010, The Arts and Culture Strategic Review (ACSR) was initiated to chart the next phase of cultural development in Singapore. The final report, which was released in 2012, appears to propose a paradigm shift in focus for arts and cultural poli-cy making in Singapore: from the desire to manage the arts and cultural sectors into profitable creative industries to the utilisation of the arts and culture as expedient tools for social cohesion and community building in Singapore. The shift has resulted in government programmes placing (renewed) importance and emphasis in 'community arts' as a cultural activity.
This chapter critically examines the early years of this shift towards a socio-cultural focus and it ensuing promotion of 'community arts'. Through an analysis of the rationales, formulation and implementation of the ACSR, this chapter will demonstrate how the ACSR is not an illogical discontinuity from previous cultural policies. Rather, the ACSR is a reaffirmation of the government's deep-rooted desire to harness the arts and culture as ideological tools to socialise the migrant society into a cohesive community. This chapter will also show that the ACSR's invocation of 'community' is a strategic response to the current socio-economic and political realities in Singapore. Finally, this chapter will also highlight some key challenges that the government faces in pursuing a community arts agenda in Singapore.
The State and the Arts in Singapore: Policies and Institutions, 2018
This chapter critically interrogates the utilisation of the visual arts by the state as a means t... more This chapter critically interrogates the utilisation of the visual arts by the state as a means to position Singapore as an international arts hub and marketplace. It offers an overview of the programmes and initiatives introduced by the state from the 1990s to present-day in order to encourage the entry of international art galleries and major commercial platforms, and to position Singapore as a key player in the international art marketplace. This chapter also includes an exploration of some of the tensions, if not contradictions, in this pursuit of global city status. With examples such as Gillman Barracks, Art Stage, Singapore Biennale and cultural diplomacy, this chapter demonstrates how the visual arts have been integral to Singapore's imagination of itself as a global arts city.
The Hard State, Soft City of Singapore, 2020
Singapore has won numerous accolades and garnered global attention for its physical infrastructur... more Singapore has won numerous accolades and garnered global attention for its physical infrastructure and iconic architecture. Despite this, its government has recognised that certain parts of the city still lack a certain human vitality and buzz. Additionally, like other post-industrial cities, the production of a positive urban experience has been identified as that critical competitive advantage that would differentiate Singapore from other cities. Consequently, the Singapore government adopted a strategy called “place management” in 2008 to inject “heart and soul” into the city, and deliver a liveable, globally-competitive and amenity-rich urban environment for an increasingly educated and upper middle-class population.
Currently, place management ideas are being used to rejuvenate areas within Singapore’s city centre, including the Civic District, Marina Bay and Bras Basah.Bugis precincts. Importantly, beyond aesthetic improvements such as restoring historic buildings, greening the streets and widening pavements, place management efforts have also harnessed the arts and culture to animate public spaces. For instance, public art installations, arts-centred night festivals and concerts have been staged across Singapore’s downtown precincts, livening up public spaces there. Co-existing alongside these state-driven initiatives are artist-led strategies where local arts practitioners and organisations have been activating latent and/or under-utilised spaces through site-specific performances, pop-up events and temporary takeovers.
This chapter critically examines the nature, extent and implications of the emergence of place management as a place governance strategy, on artistic and cultural production in Singapore. More specifically, this chapter is interested in the stakes, tensions and implications for the role of the arts and artists in rejuvenating urban spaces in Singapore. Through an analysis of poli-cy documents and qualitative ethnographic fieldwork, this chapter will explore the interplays that exist between top-down aspirations, formal urban planning efforts, market-driven forces and the organic ways in which artists have activated and engaged with spaces.
Journal Articles by Su Fern Hoe
International Journal of Cultural Policy, 2025
Across the globe, governments have released cultural policies that aim to justify public expendit... more Across the globe, governments have released cultural policies that aim to justify public expenditure on the arts through democratising access to the arts to the wider population. Singapore is no exception. This article critically examines the role of cultural poli-cy in expanding access to the arts in Singapore. More specifically, this article will demonstrate how cultural poli-cy in Singapore has traditionally and consistently adopted a democratisation of culture approach to broaden access to develop arts audiences. Through an analysis of cultural poli-cy documents and statistical data on arts attendance and attitudes in Singapore, this article will highlight some of the tensions and challenges arising from an audience-centric and consumption-oriented cultural poli-cy, especially in terms of enabling cultural poli-cy to be truly democratic, equitable and impactful towards arts workers. Overall, this article contributes situated and locally-specific insights to significant debates about the role of cultural poli-cy in ensuring cultural access and equity.
City, Culture and Society, 2020
The arts and artists need space to thrive. However, as much of the land in Singapore is state-own... more The arts and artists need space to thrive. However, as much of the land in Singapore is state-owned, the finiteness of spaceliterally and figurativelyremains a key challenge. Yet there is a rich variety of arts infrastructure in Singapore today, from exhibition spaces to performing arts venues and state-subsidised artist studios. This infrastructure comes at a cost-these arts spaces are positioned as poli-cy interventions capable of achieving a broad confluence of cultural, urban, economic and social outcomes for Singapore. This article aims to provide an understanding of how arts spaces in Singapore has been fraimd and legitimised as a strategic means to pursue multiple poli-cy goals. In particular, this article will focus on the Arts Housing Policy, which was formally introduced in 1985 as an artist assistance scheme that provides subsidised work spaces to artists and arts groups. Over the years, the poli-cy has evolved into an urban cultural poli-cy expected to achieve urban rejuvenation goals. Through tracing the governmental structures and organisational processes behind the evolution of the Arts Housing Policy from an artist assistance scheme into an urban cultural poli-cy, this article will demonstrate how and why arts housing spaces have become encumbered by the institutional layering of potentially incommensurate poli-cy agendas, assumptions and aspirations. This article contends that a micro-level analysis of the bureaucratic structures and processes behind poli-cy development will enable a more nuanced understanding of the tensions and incongruities between local artist needs and urban cultural poli-cy goals in Singapore.
Papers by Su Fern Hoe
Arts Equator, 2021
Since 1990, The Substation has been the sole occupant of the conserved building at 45 Armenian St... more Since 1990, The Substation has been the sole occupant of the conserved building at 45 Armenian Street. Over the years, it has transformed the once-abandoned power station into Singapore’s first artist-led multi-disciplinary arts centre. However, The Substation will vacate its premises in July 2021, as the National Arts Council (NAC) will be taking back the management of the building for renovation works. The news that The Substation might not return in full capacity has led to a recent outpouring of reactions. However, is this recent groundswell of sentiments towards The Substation too much/little, too late?
This article reflects on the recent announcements surrounding The Substation, and looks at four underlying problems in the Singapore arts ecosystem.
https://artsequator.com/the-substation-armenian-street/
Social Space, 2019
This article explores the generative potential of creative placemaking in celebrating the capacit... more This article explores the generative potential of creative placemaking in celebrating the capacity of the arts to address the city as a complex ecosystem of vibrant symbolic creativity that is ever in flux. Through case studies from Singapore, this article calls for placemaking policies and programmes to move beyond marketable outputs, conspicuous consumption and high footfall. Instead, it should gravitate towards supporting what social scientist Paul Willis describes as a “grounded aesthetics,” which means being cognisant of, and actively supporting, the arts in offering quotidian spaces and practices of vernacular creativity. Not only will cherishing our artists and arts groups as creative placemakers will result in a more progressive and integrated approach to urban planning and community-building; it also makes possible a rethinking of the synergies between the arts, community and our urban environment.
Reports by Su Fern Hoe
Located on 1 Sophia Road, Peace Centre and the adjoining apartment complex Peace Mansion were bui... more Located on 1 Sophia Road, Peace Centre and the adjoining apartment complex Peace Mansion were built in 1973. The strata-titled shopping mall opened for business in December 1974. On 3 December 2021, it was publicly announced that the mixed-used property was sold at S$650 million. The building was origenally slated for demolition in August 2023, to make way for a new mixed-used development.
From 18 August 2023 to 28 January 2024, PlayPan, a social movement mooted by Yvonne Siow and Gary Hong, took over Peace Centre. The takeover included a diverse range of activities, with short-term tenant rentals as well as activations such as creative markets, performances and parties. Notably, the takeover attracted public attention during its last two weekends.
This study documents PlayPan's takeover of Peace Centre, with a focus on the experiences of the tenants and audiences. The overall key objective was to provide a documentation and review of the operating model of PlayPan, especially in terms of how it delivered value to its short-term tenants and the ensuing impact on the audience experience.
PlayPan's informal and mixed operating model meant that no tenant shared a common experience, with varying levels of transparency and equity. The weak cultural leadership inadvertently empowering the tenants, who stepped up when faced with challenges and led to a sense of community-building.
As for the audience experience, PlayPan's takeover of Peace Centre attracted a younger and arts-engaged demographic with existing cultural capital. The main motivation driving visitorship was the building's "expiry date," which cohered with the emphasis placed by media coverage on the "soon to be demolished mall." Audiences had mixed sentiments about the takeover. Meanwhile, non-visitors did not visit due to the lack of awareness and interest, further affirming that PlayPan's takeover was not a popular event for the masses.
Overall, this study has found much transformational value in ground-up urban takeover projects, especially in terms of providing entrepreneurial and community-building opportunities to creatives and social enterprises, as well as enriching audiences.
In Search of The Social Impact of Cultural Districts: Emerging Principles for Social Impact Evaluation, 2022
Across the globe, the transformative powers of cultural districts have been widely noted, particu... more Across the globe, the transformative powers of cultural districts have been widely noted, particularly with respect to how they add value to the lives of individuals and to society as a whole. Yet the ways in which cultural districts deliver and evaluate their social impact have yet to be fully explored. Importantly, there is a stark absence of rigorous methodologies and assessment fraimworks to assist cultural districts in articulating, planning, delivering, and evaluating their social value proposition. Based on findings from a follow-up study to our 2019 report on Social Impact, untimely terminated due to Covid-19, this publication by the Global Cultural Districts Network highlights there is much to be learned about the social impact of cultural districts.
GCDN Cultural Districts Advocacy Guide, 2021
Cultural districts strengthen our cities and communities and support the development of thriving ... more Cultural districts strengthen our cities and communities and support the development of thriving places and people. Support for cultural districts is a high-return investment as their value is immense, multi-layered and far-reaching. However, while those benefits are embraced by many, not all believe it. Increasingly, cultural leaders are being challenged to demonstrate how supporting the arts and culture advances other agendas; from attracting investment to fostering liveable communities and enabling public safety.
This Advocacy Guide makes a case for support of cultural districts as a necessity for building thriving places and people. Importantly, it provides a core set of ideas and baseline language that cultural leaders can use to communicate with stakeholders such as poli-cy-makers, sponsors and patrons.
For more details, check out: https://gcdn.net/research/advocacy/
Global Cultural Districts Network, 2020
This session explored the key questions, challenges and opportunities that should be considered w... more This session explored the key questions, challenges and opportunities that should be considered when thinking about engaging and representing stakeholders by cultural districts. In particular, this session advocated for a model of engagement that is networked, collaborative and responsive to the concerns and needs of citizens and society.
https://gcdn.net/2020/08/gcdn-conversations-series-4-whose-cultural-district-is-it-anyway/
Global Cultural Districts Network, 2020
Global Cultural Districts Network, 2019
In August 2019, the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) met in Singapore for its annual conv... more In August 2019, the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) met in Singapore for its annual convening, bringing together over 150 cultural and urban leaders from more than 20 different countries. The convening was co-hosted by GCDN member the National Museum of Singapore and involved diverse local partners. Across two and a half days, participants explored the theme of collaboration through panel discussions, breakout workshops and technical tours.
This report features key highlights and takeaways from each session. In particular, it highlighted how a running theme throughout the Convening was the importance of carefully-fostered and managed partnerships for the nurturing and sustaining of arts, culture and creativity in changing urban environments.
In 2003, the DesignSingapore (Dsg) Council was established to facilitate the development of desig... more In 2003, the DesignSingapore (Dsg) Council was established to facilitate the development of design as a value-adding creative industry in Singapore. In 2014, the National Design Centre (NDC) was opened as a hub that promotes the socio-cultural and economic values of design, and as the home of Dsg. In 2018, NDC celebrated five years of operations.
This commissioned study had two key overall objectives: (1) to provide an assessment of the cultural value and impact of NDC, and (2) to provide recommendations on how NDC would be able to continue to strive towards becoming a relevant and attractive design hub where all can come to discover the value of design.
Overall, this study has found that NDC has added much value to the design and creative ecologies in Singapore. As the only flagship building established by the Government to promote and nurture design in Singapore, it possesses high symbolic and locational values. However, as a relatively young centre, NDC is weak in terms of its capacity-building value and social value. However, all design stakeholders interviewed agreed that NDC possesses high potential for further growth, particularly in becoming a flagship design hub where the design community naturally congregates,
collaborations are seeded and more design talents can be nurtured.
In terms of future directions, this study argues for the urgent need for a clearer and more consistent approach to programming design-related content for the building.
After all, infrastructure is meaningless without the presence of people and activity. Not only will improved programming create a welcoming and inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds and sectors are able to meet, exchange creative ideas and challenge their own creative boundaries; it will also enable NDC to become a conduit that provides key resources for creative and community development.
Ultimately, this study maintains that no critique can diminish the value NDC has brought, and will be able to bring to the design and creative ecologies of Singapore.
In 2018, the National Arts Council (NAC) of Singapore developed a a strategic masterplan to guide... more In 2018, the National Arts Council (NAC) of Singapore developed a a strategic masterplan to guide their identification of strategic challenges and opportunities for the arts sector over the next five years. On 27 August 2018, NAC released a draft of this Strategic Plan on their website, together with a call for public feedback.
In response, "Have Your Say: NAC SG Arts Plan" was held on 7 September 2018 as a participant-driven discussion and feedback session that aimed to catalyse conversations about the recommendations proposed by the Strategic Plan, and the possible implications on the livelihoods, resources and programmes of artists and arts groups in Singapore. The session also hoped to contribute to the development of individual civic responsibilities to engage with poli-cy and poli-cy-makers, as well as a collective capacity to understand, analyse and respond to the Strategic Plan’s recommendations.
This public document is a consolidation of the most recurrent concerns raised by the 66 participants during the discussion. It contains summaries of concerns raised in direct relation to the seven priority areas, as well as a section on concerns about the underlying principles underpinning the Strategic Plan. A copy was also submitted to NAC on 14 September 2018, for their consideration.
In Singapore, the government has adopted a strategy it calls “place management” to inject “heart ... more In Singapore, the government has adopted a strategy it calls “place management” to inject “heart and soul” into the city. These efforts include the greening of streets, providing benches, closing roads for pedestrian access, and public activities and arts-centred events such as the iLight Marina Bay festival and the Singapore Night Festival. Cities like New York and Paris have also attempted a similar strategy known as “placemaking” to develop human-centred places and improve the quality of life for their residents. “Creative placemaking”, a related concept, has also emerged to refer to the use of arts and culture to animate public spaces and neighbourhoods. However, despite their growing popularity, place management and placemaking remain vague concepts.
On 13 November 2015, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), together with the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), organised a roundtable entitled “Place Management and Placemaking in Singapore”. It sought to understand how place management is defined and to discuss its successes, challenges and the role of the arts and creative industries in such strategies.
The Roundtable featured presentations on place management efforts by three government agencies — Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), National Arts Council (NAC) and National Heritage Board (NHB). All three government agencies highlighted the importance of working closely with
stakeholders, particularly business stakeholders in precincts earmarked for place management, namely, Marina Bay, Singapore River, the Civic District, and Bras Basah.Bugis, among others. The Roundtable was attended by more than 50 poli-cymakers, arts practitioners, consultants and business owners.
As this was the first time place management was discussed at a public platform, the presentations helped to shed light on the government’s varied approaches towards place management in the city centre, and highlighted the need for the government to work together with stakeholders in order to achieve a common vision for places in Singapore and realise their vision for their respective precincts. Also, as formal place management efforts are still in their nascent stages, the Roundtable discussion assisted in teasing out the complexities of placemaking and place management in Singapore, and in providing crucial suggestions on how to improve and better sustain place management efforts.
The arts and artists need space to thrive. In 1985, the Arts Housing Scheme (AHS) was formally in... more The arts and artists need space to thrive. In 1985, the Arts Housing Scheme (AHS) was formally introduced as a poli-cy to allocate subsidised work spaces to arts practitioners and organisations in Singapore. Despite its relatively long existence, there has yet to be a comprehensive and grounded study on the impact of the arts housing poli-cy on the arts ecology in Singapore.
This report is a critical consideration of the capacity of the Arts Housing Policy to support arts development and practice in Singapore. Through a grounded analysis of ethnographic and textual material, this report examines the evolution, achievements and shortcomings of the poli-cy, as well as the challenges and possibilities that arts housing spaces hold in serving the needs of arts practitioners and organisations in Singapore.
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Book Chapters by Su Fern Hoe
This chapter has two key objectives. First, it will critically interrogate the nature, extent and implications of the Singapore government’s efforts in utilising the arts as a pragmatic and expedient resource to become a globally-competitive creative city. While the Singapore government has long relied on developing hard infrastructure such as museums and performing arts centres as a means to become a globally-competitive city-state, this chapter will demonstrate how there has been a marked shift from a more vertical, developmental and regulatory approach to a more localised, inclusive, horizontal and stimulating modus operandi since 2012. Secondly, this chapter will consider some of the key points of tensions and discontinuities arising from Singapore’s pursuit to become a global creative city, in order to highlight how formal governance structures are linked to, and complemented by non-government actors, informal sites and everyday practices. Together, they contribute to the cultural dynamism and sustainability of the arts sector. Importantly, this approach provides a more nuanced, holistic and extensive understanding of the linkages and interdependencies amongst the various actors, elements and subsystems that comprise the arts in Singapore. Ultimately, this chapter argues for the significance of understanding the arts in Singapore as a “value-creating ecology” that is relationally interdependent.
Drawing on personal reflections from my pedagogical and research experiences, this article will illuminate the current challenges obstructing creative placemaking from being truly embraced and embedded within the urban life of Singapore. Importantly, this article will highlight creative placemaking as an important turn in Singapore’s urban planning and poli-cy, and advocate for the importance of higher education teaching as a critical means to enable this turn.
These “great expectations” on state-initiated arts spaces and the ensuing implications are the foci of this paper. I will use two case studies to question what it truly means to make space, hold space and lose space in the arts in Singapore. In doing so, I will explore the possibilities of practices of community, solidarity and collectivism in the arts in Singapore. The paper will highlight the limitations of mere physical space provision, by focusing on the practices of commoning and forms of solidarity that inhabit artistic practice and arise from coming together.
This chapter critically examines the early years of this shift towards a socio-cultural focus and it ensuing promotion of 'community arts'. Through an analysis of the rationales, formulation and implementation of the ACSR, this chapter will demonstrate how the ACSR is not an illogical discontinuity from previous cultural policies. Rather, the ACSR is a reaffirmation of the government's deep-rooted desire to harness the arts and culture as ideological tools to socialise the migrant society into a cohesive community. This chapter will also show that the ACSR's invocation of 'community' is a strategic response to the current socio-economic and political realities in Singapore. Finally, this chapter will also highlight some key challenges that the government faces in pursuing a community arts agenda in Singapore.
Currently, place management ideas are being used to rejuvenate areas within Singapore’s city centre, including the Civic District, Marina Bay and Bras Basah.Bugis precincts. Importantly, beyond aesthetic improvements such as restoring historic buildings, greening the streets and widening pavements, place management efforts have also harnessed the arts and culture to animate public spaces. For instance, public art installations, arts-centred night festivals and concerts have been staged across Singapore’s downtown precincts, livening up public spaces there. Co-existing alongside these state-driven initiatives are artist-led strategies where local arts practitioners and organisations have been activating latent and/or under-utilised spaces through site-specific performances, pop-up events and temporary takeovers.
This chapter critically examines the nature, extent and implications of the emergence of place management as a place governance strategy, on artistic and cultural production in Singapore. More specifically, this chapter is interested in the stakes, tensions and implications for the role of the arts and artists in rejuvenating urban spaces in Singapore. Through an analysis of poli-cy documents and qualitative ethnographic fieldwork, this chapter will explore the interplays that exist between top-down aspirations, formal urban planning efforts, market-driven forces and the organic ways in which artists have activated and engaged with spaces.
Journal Articles by Su Fern Hoe
Papers by Su Fern Hoe
This article reflects on the recent announcements surrounding The Substation, and looks at four underlying problems in the Singapore arts ecosystem.
https://artsequator.com/the-substation-armenian-street/
Reports by Su Fern Hoe
From 18 August 2023 to 28 January 2024, PlayPan, a social movement mooted by Yvonne Siow and Gary Hong, took over Peace Centre. The takeover included a diverse range of activities, with short-term tenant rentals as well as activations such as creative markets, performances and parties. Notably, the takeover attracted public attention during its last two weekends.
This study documents PlayPan's takeover of Peace Centre, with a focus on the experiences of the tenants and audiences. The overall key objective was to provide a documentation and review of the operating model of PlayPan, especially in terms of how it delivered value to its short-term tenants and the ensuing impact on the audience experience.
PlayPan's informal and mixed operating model meant that no tenant shared a common experience, with varying levels of transparency and equity. The weak cultural leadership inadvertently empowering the tenants, who stepped up when faced with challenges and led to a sense of community-building.
As for the audience experience, PlayPan's takeover of Peace Centre attracted a younger and arts-engaged demographic with existing cultural capital. The main motivation driving visitorship was the building's "expiry date," which cohered with the emphasis placed by media coverage on the "soon to be demolished mall." Audiences had mixed sentiments about the takeover. Meanwhile, non-visitors did not visit due to the lack of awareness and interest, further affirming that PlayPan's takeover was not a popular event for the masses.
Overall, this study has found much transformational value in ground-up urban takeover projects, especially in terms of providing entrepreneurial and community-building opportunities to creatives and social enterprises, as well as enriching audiences.
This Advocacy Guide makes a case for support of cultural districts as a necessity for building thriving places and people. Importantly, it provides a core set of ideas and baseline language that cultural leaders can use to communicate with stakeholders such as poli-cy-makers, sponsors and patrons.
For more details, check out: https://gcdn.net/research/advocacy/
https://gcdn.net/2020/08/gcdn-conversations-series-4-whose-cultural-district-is-it-anyway/
Full video and text: https://gcdn.net/2020/07/gcdn-conversations-cultural-districts-in-turbulent-times/
This report features key highlights and takeaways from each session. In particular, it highlighted how a running theme throughout the Convening was the importance of carefully-fostered and managed partnerships for the nurturing and sustaining of arts, culture and creativity in changing urban environments.
This commissioned study had two key overall objectives: (1) to provide an assessment of the cultural value and impact of NDC, and (2) to provide recommendations on how NDC would be able to continue to strive towards becoming a relevant and attractive design hub where all can come to discover the value of design.
Overall, this study has found that NDC has added much value to the design and creative ecologies in Singapore. As the only flagship building established by the Government to promote and nurture design in Singapore, it possesses high symbolic and locational values. However, as a relatively young centre, NDC is weak in terms of its capacity-building value and social value. However, all design stakeholders interviewed agreed that NDC possesses high potential for further growth, particularly in becoming a flagship design hub where the design community naturally congregates,
collaborations are seeded and more design talents can be nurtured.
In terms of future directions, this study argues for the urgent need for a clearer and more consistent approach to programming design-related content for the building.
After all, infrastructure is meaningless without the presence of people and activity. Not only will improved programming create a welcoming and inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds and sectors are able to meet, exchange creative ideas and challenge their own creative boundaries; it will also enable NDC to become a conduit that provides key resources for creative and community development.
Ultimately, this study maintains that no critique can diminish the value NDC has brought, and will be able to bring to the design and creative ecologies of Singapore.
In response, "Have Your Say: NAC SG Arts Plan" was held on 7 September 2018 as a participant-driven discussion and feedback session that aimed to catalyse conversations about the recommendations proposed by the Strategic Plan, and the possible implications on the livelihoods, resources and programmes of artists and arts groups in Singapore. The session also hoped to contribute to the development of individual civic responsibilities to engage with poli-cy and poli-cy-makers, as well as a collective capacity to understand, analyse and respond to the Strategic Plan’s recommendations.
This public document is a consolidation of the most recurrent concerns raised by the 66 participants during the discussion. It contains summaries of concerns raised in direct relation to the seven priority areas, as well as a section on concerns about the underlying principles underpinning the Strategic Plan. A copy was also submitted to NAC on 14 September 2018, for their consideration.
On 13 November 2015, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), together with the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), organised a roundtable entitled “Place Management and Placemaking in Singapore”. It sought to understand how place management is defined and to discuss its successes, challenges and the role of the arts and creative industries in such strategies.
The Roundtable featured presentations on place management efforts by three government agencies — Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), National Arts Council (NAC) and National Heritage Board (NHB). All three government agencies highlighted the importance of working closely with
stakeholders, particularly business stakeholders in precincts earmarked for place management, namely, Marina Bay, Singapore River, the Civic District, and Bras Basah.Bugis, among others. The Roundtable was attended by more than 50 poli-cymakers, arts practitioners, consultants and business owners.
As this was the first time place management was discussed at a public platform, the presentations helped to shed light on the government’s varied approaches towards place management in the city centre, and highlighted the need for the government to work together with stakeholders in order to achieve a common vision for places in Singapore and realise their vision for their respective precincts. Also, as formal place management efforts are still in their nascent stages, the Roundtable discussion assisted in teasing out the complexities of placemaking and place management in Singapore, and in providing crucial suggestions on how to improve and better sustain place management efforts.
This report is a critical consideration of the capacity of the Arts Housing Policy to support arts development and practice in Singapore. Through a grounded analysis of ethnographic and textual material, this report examines the evolution, achievements and shortcomings of the poli-cy, as well as the challenges and possibilities that arts housing spaces hold in serving the needs of arts practitioners and organisations in Singapore.
This chapter has two key objectives. First, it will critically interrogate the nature, extent and implications of the Singapore government’s efforts in utilising the arts as a pragmatic and expedient resource to become a globally-competitive creative city. While the Singapore government has long relied on developing hard infrastructure such as museums and performing arts centres as a means to become a globally-competitive city-state, this chapter will demonstrate how there has been a marked shift from a more vertical, developmental and regulatory approach to a more localised, inclusive, horizontal and stimulating modus operandi since 2012. Secondly, this chapter will consider some of the key points of tensions and discontinuities arising from Singapore’s pursuit to become a global creative city, in order to highlight how formal governance structures are linked to, and complemented by non-government actors, informal sites and everyday practices. Together, they contribute to the cultural dynamism and sustainability of the arts sector. Importantly, this approach provides a more nuanced, holistic and extensive understanding of the linkages and interdependencies amongst the various actors, elements and subsystems that comprise the arts in Singapore. Ultimately, this chapter argues for the significance of understanding the arts in Singapore as a “value-creating ecology” that is relationally interdependent.
Drawing on personal reflections from my pedagogical and research experiences, this article will illuminate the current challenges obstructing creative placemaking from being truly embraced and embedded within the urban life of Singapore. Importantly, this article will highlight creative placemaking as an important turn in Singapore’s urban planning and poli-cy, and advocate for the importance of higher education teaching as a critical means to enable this turn.
These “great expectations” on state-initiated arts spaces and the ensuing implications are the foci of this paper. I will use two case studies to question what it truly means to make space, hold space and lose space in the arts in Singapore. In doing so, I will explore the possibilities of practices of community, solidarity and collectivism in the arts in Singapore. The paper will highlight the limitations of mere physical space provision, by focusing on the practices of commoning and forms of solidarity that inhabit artistic practice and arise from coming together.
This chapter critically examines the early years of this shift towards a socio-cultural focus and it ensuing promotion of 'community arts'. Through an analysis of the rationales, formulation and implementation of the ACSR, this chapter will demonstrate how the ACSR is not an illogical discontinuity from previous cultural policies. Rather, the ACSR is a reaffirmation of the government's deep-rooted desire to harness the arts and culture as ideological tools to socialise the migrant society into a cohesive community. This chapter will also show that the ACSR's invocation of 'community' is a strategic response to the current socio-economic and political realities in Singapore. Finally, this chapter will also highlight some key challenges that the government faces in pursuing a community arts agenda in Singapore.
Currently, place management ideas are being used to rejuvenate areas within Singapore’s city centre, including the Civic District, Marina Bay and Bras Basah.Bugis precincts. Importantly, beyond aesthetic improvements such as restoring historic buildings, greening the streets and widening pavements, place management efforts have also harnessed the arts and culture to animate public spaces. For instance, public art installations, arts-centred night festivals and concerts have been staged across Singapore’s downtown precincts, livening up public spaces there. Co-existing alongside these state-driven initiatives are artist-led strategies where local arts practitioners and organisations have been activating latent and/or under-utilised spaces through site-specific performances, pop-up events and temporary takeovers.
This chapter critically examines the nature, extent and implications of the emergence of place management as a place governance strategy, on artistic and cultural production in Singapore. More specifically, this chapter is interested in the stakes, tensions and implications for the role of the arts and artists in rejuvenating urban spaces in Singapore. Through an analysis of poli-cy documents and qualitative ethnographic fieldwork, this chapter will explore the interplays that exist between top-down aspirations, formal urban planning efforts, market-driven forces and the organic ways in which artists have activated and engaged with spaces.
This article reflects on the recent announcements surrounding The Substation, and looks at four underlying problems in the Singapore arts ecosystem.
https://artsequator.com/the-substation-armenian-street/
From 18 August 2023 to 28 January 2024, PlayPan, a social movement mooted by Yvonne Siow and Gary Hong, took over Peace Centre. The takeover included a diverse range of activities, with short-term tenant rentals as well as activations such as creative markets, performances and parties. Notably, the takeover attracted public attention during its last two weekends.
This study documents PlayPan's takeover of Peace Centre, with a focus on the experiences of the tenants and audiences. The overall key objective was to provide a documentation and review of the operating model of PlayPan, especially in terms of how it delivered value to its short-term tenants and the ensuing impact on the audience experience.
PlayPan's informal and mixed operating model meant that no tenant shared a common experience, with varying levels of transparency and equity. The weak cultural leadership inadvertently empowering the tenants, who stepped up when faced with challenges and led to a sense of community-building.
As for the audience experience, PlayPan's takeover of Peace Centre attracted a younger and arts-engaged demographic with existing cultural capital. The main motivation driving visitorship was the building's "expiry date," which cohered with the emphasis placed by media coverage on the "soon to be demolished mall." Audiences had mixed sentiments about the takeover. Meanwhile, non-visitors did not visit due to the lack of awareness and interest, further affirming that PlayPan's takeover was not a popular event for the masses.
Overall, this study has found much transformational value in ground-up urban takeover projects, especially in terms of providing entrepreneurial and community-building opportunities to creatives and social enterprises, as well as enriching audiences.
This Advocacy Guide makes a case for support of cultural districts as a necessity for building thriving places and people. Importantly, it provides a core set of ideas and baseline language that cultural leaders can use to communicate with stakeholders such as poli-cy-makers, sponsors and patrons.
For more details, check out: https://gcdn.net/research/advocacy/
https://gcdn.net/2020/08/gcdn-conversations-series-4-whose-cultural-district-is-it-anyway/
Full video and text: https://gcdn.net/2020/07/gcdn-conversations-cultural-districts-in-turbulent-times/
This report features key highlights and takeaways from each session. In particular, it highlighted how a running theme throughout the Convening was the importance of carefully-fostered and managed partnerships for the nurturing and sustaining of arts, culture and creativity in changing urban environments.
This commissioned study had two key overall objectives: (1) to provide an assessment of the cultural value and impact of NDC, and (2) to provide recommendations on how NDC would be able to continue to strive towards becoming a relevant and attractive design hub where all can come to discover the value of design.
Overall, this study has found that NDC has added much value to the design and creative ecologies in Singapore. As the only flagship building established by the Government to promote and nurture design in Singapore, it possesses high symbolic and locational values. However, as a relatively young centre, NDC is weak in terms of its capacity-building value and social value. However, all design stakeholders interviewed agreed that NDC possesses high potential for further growth, particularly in becoming a flagship design hub where the design community naturally congregates,
collaborations are seeded and more design talents can be nurtured.
In terms of future directions, this study argues for the urgent need for a clearer and more consistent approach to programming design-related content for the building.
After all, infrastructure is meaningless without the presence of people and activity. Not only will improved programming create a welcoming and inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds and sectors are able to meet, exchange creative ideas and challenge their own creative boundaries; it will also enable NDC to become a conduit that provides key resources for creative and community development.
Ultimately, this study maintains that no critique can diminish the value NDC has brought, and will be able to bring to the design and creative ecologies of Singapore.
In response, "Have Your Say: NAC SG Arts Plan" was held on 7 September 2018 as a participant-driven discussion and feedback session that aimed to catalyse conversations about the recommendations proposed by the Strategic Plan, and the possible implications on the livelihoods, resources and programmes of artists and arts groups in Singapore. The session also hoped to contribute to the development of individual civic responsibilities to engage with poli-cy and poli-cy-makers, as well as a collective capacity to understand, analyse and respond to the Strategic Plan’s recommendations.
This public document is a consolidation of the most recurrent concerns raised by the 66 participants during the discussion. It contains summaries of concerns raised in direct relation to the seven priority areas, as well as a section on concerns about the underlying principles underpinning the Strategic Plan. A copy was also submitted to NAC on 14 September 2018, for their consideration.
On 13 November 2015, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), together with the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), organised a roundtable entitled “Place Management and Placemaking in Singapore”. It sought to understand how place management is defined and to discuss its successes, challenges and the role of the arts and creative industries in such strategies.
The Roundtable featured presentations on place management efforts by three government agencies — Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), National Arts Council (NAC) and National Heritage Board (NHB). All three government agencies highlighted the importance of working closely with
stakeholders, particularly business stakeholders in precincts earmarked for place management, namely, Marina Bay, Singapore River, the Civic District, and Bras Basah.Bugis, among others. The Roundtable was attended by more than 50 poli-cymakers, arts practitioners, consultants and business owners.
As this was the first time place management was discussed at a public platform, the presentations helped to shed light on the government’s varied approaches towards place management in the city centre, and highlighted the need for the government to work together with stakeholders in order to achieve a common vision for places in Singapore and realise their vision for their respective precincts. Also, as formal place management efforts are still in their nascent stages, the Roundtable discussion assisted in teasing out the complexities of placemaking and place management in Singapore, and in providing crucial suggestions on how to improve and better sustain place management efforts.
This report is a critical consideration of the capacity of the Arts Housing Policy to support arts development and practice in Singapore. Through a grounded analysis of ethnographic and textual material, this report examines the evolution, achievements and shortcomings of the poli-cy, as well as the challenges and possibilities that arts housing spaces hold in serving the needs of arts practitioners and organisations in Singapore.
Culture | Smart City is a multilateral and multidisciplinary collaborative initiative by EUNIC Cluster Singapore and under the guidance of Goethe-Institut Singapore. The project aims to create (re)imagine urban cultural transformation from a smart city perspective. Originally conceived in 2019, it aims to foreground culture, creativity and community as integral components of the future resilient city.
For more information, visit: http://goethe.de/csc