Singapore – The National Arts Council (NAC) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) have announced a three-year collaboration to increase public engagement with the arts in land transport settings and during public transportation travels. This initiative will comprise commissioned works by Singaporean artists and arts groups.
They present a themed train and stations in honour of Singapore Art Week 2024, marking the beginning of their cooperation. Furthermore, both organisations actively participate in repurposing vacant areas beneath viaducts with locally created art. The ultimate purpose of these initiatives is to bring NAC, LTA, and other stakeholders closer together to collaborate on bringing more artistic elements to public transportation hubs and improving commuter experiences in general.
Low Yen Ling, Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth, was present for the introduction of the collaboration.
Until January 28, 2024, seven train stations and a themed train operating on the North East Line will be infused with chosen artworks from Singapore Art Week (SAW), the nation’s main visual arts season. Designed as an art trail, SAW will take place from January 19 to January 28, 2024, giving the public an early chance to view the artworks on display. In-carriage activations and vibrant murals adorning MRT station walls will help to encourage this.
Commuters travelling the North-East Line will soon come upon a piece of art, a train with a theme that features a tapestry of proverbs and inspirational sayings. This piece of art, “My Mother Says,” was created together by SAW and PAssionArts and features about 20 Tampines Changkat locals. Using the creative typographic approach, participants in a three-week program turned the knowledge found in the words of their elders into light installations.
The public expects the exhibition of a piece of art supported by the Public Art Trust program under a designated overpass in late 2024. The selected artist for this project will work in conjunction with the locals to produce a large-scale piece of art that will capture the distinctive qualities of the surrounding district and revitalise train tunnels.
This partnership expands on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that SMRT and NAC signed in August 2023, with the shared goal of improving commuting spaces via busking, poetry, and music. As part of their continued collaboration, NAC and LTA are dedicated to looking into new projects that leverage artistic expression to bring life to public areas.
Speaking about the partnership, Low Yen Ling, minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth, said, “This partnership forms a part of our broader vision to transform Singapore into a distinctive city with many accessible spaces for people to enjoy the arts wherever they are. Aligned with Our SG Arts Plan (2023 – 2027), this initiative will bring the arts to commuters on their daily travel. Besides refreshing their journey, the artworks will create a greater appreciation for local talents as commuters enjoy art on the go. The public showcase will enable artists to reach and grow new audiences through a wider platform.”
“By bringing the arts to commuter spaces, we enhance the vibrancy of these common areas and brighten the quality of travel and daily life for many Singaporeans,” Ling added.
Meanwhile, Low Eng Teong, chief executive officer, NAC, stated, “Forging strong partnerships is one of the key strategies of Our SG Arts Plan (2023 – 2027). Our partnership with LTA unlocks greater opportunities for the public to encounter and appreciate the arts in familiar yet unconventional spaces. We hope to continue opening up more spaces as creative canvasses to integrate the arts into our everyday lives and surroundings, complementing efforts to create a distinctive city and endearing home for all.”
Furthermore, Ng Lang, chief executive, LTA, commented, “LTA is pleased to partner NAC in this new initiative to enliven the spaces in our public transport nodes. This will enrich our existing Art in Transit (AIT) programme, bringing artworks closer to commuters and transforming our transport nodes into lively places. With millions of commuters taking public transport daily, our MRT stations and bus interchanges present an ideal canvas for artists to showcase their works, creating vibrant spaces that enhance the commute. We will collaborate with more partners through AIT to foster an even closer public connection with the arts.”
