Art takes on hybrid formats for the first time across both digital and physical spaces in this year’s Singapore Art Week. Back with its ninth edition, the explosion of creativity in Singapore Art Week will span 22 January – 30 January with the theme of “Art Takes Over.” In line with the new normal challenges, this year brings you an evolving and innovative art scene, where you can enjoy art anywhere, everywhere.
Here are 10 different ways to begin your art journey and get inspired, wherever you may be in Singapore.
1. Follow bus 175
Let bus 175 lead you west to east with Bus.Stop.Art. and discover how the bus stops along its route have been transformed into public art exhibitions. Ten inspired Singapore-based artists respond to #ArtMovesUs to share virtual and free online activities that will capture your imagination. Join the ride!
When: 21 January – 3 February 2021, all day
Where: Bus stops along route 175
Event type: Physical, free admission
Find out more at http://busstopart.com/
2. “Shop” for art at Funan
Window shopping just got more rewarding with Creative Unions, the first mall-wide art activation in Singapore featuring art collaborations across fashion, food, lifestyle, technology and experiential trades. For one entire month, you’ll get to explore how art can co-exist with retail in one of the most futuristic malls in Singapore.
When: 22 January – 21 February 2021, 11am – 9pm
Where: Funan, 107 North Bridge Road
Event type: Physical, free admission
Explore more at https://www.artweek.sg/events/creative-unions
3. Play with virtual animals
Make friends with Wild Critters, five fictitious endangered animals created by five artists and collectives – Tell Your Children, Machineast, SuperCyberTown, ClogTwo and UFHO. Bring these cute critters to life with Instagram augmented reality filters on your mobile devices!
When: 22 – 30 January 2021, all day
Where: Gillman Barracks
Event type: Hybrid, free admission
Play with possibilities at https://www.artweek.sg/events/wild-critters
4. Drive-through an art exhibit
Go for a spin around art and break free from the everyday in Moo Moo PARK. Trek through the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre on foot or breeze through in an electric car to see how 8 local artists were inspired by Year of the Ox and the Sustainable Development Goals. Try on the wearable digital artwork for your face, or make the murals break out of their frames with augmented reality magic!
When: 22 January – 8 March 2021 (Closed on 11, 12 & 13 Feb), 12pm – 10pm
Where: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
Event type: Physical, ticketed admission ($10 for Drive-Through, $5 for Walk-In)
Find out more at https://singaporeccc.org.sg/events/mmpark/
5. Step into a private art collection
Take a Leap of Faith into six private collectors’ homes, workplaces and galleries! Listen to collectors from Singapore, Jakarta, Indonesia, India and Switzerland on this rare tour of the 4th IMPART Collectors’ Show.
When: 19 – 31 January 2021
Where: Online
Event type: Digital, free admission
Take your first step at https://www.artweek.sg/events/impart-collectors-show-2021-leap-of-faith
6. Let art light up your city night
Light to Night is back to illuminate the Civic District! Celebrate our progress and adaptability in this new normal with the blended physical and digital experiences – and be inspired to create your own personal interpretations of this festival’s narrative through art.
When: 22 – 31 January 2021, varying timings
Where: National Gallery Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, The Arts House, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Event type: Hybrid, free/ticketed admission
Begin your experience at https://www.nationalgallery.sg/festivals/light-to-night-2021
7. Blend in with the colourful murals at Little India
Go wild with the expanse of murals, street art, installations, workshops, and performances with ARTWALK Little India. The history and traditions of Little India will take on new life with art as its fuel. Go be inspired!
When: 22 – 23 January, 29 – 30 January, 5 – 6 February, (all physical artworks are available on-site all day; video projection is available from 7pm to 10pm)
Where: Little India
Event type: Digital, free admission
Start discovering at http://artwalklittleindia.sg/
8. Lose yourself in the world of senses
Tune in and out with Inner Like The OutAR and its psychotropic digital environments made magical with augmented reality. Lose yourself in the ‘OutAR’ environment and its audio-visual recreation of our natural world, or find yourself in the ‘Inner’ installation space of curated natural scents, sounds and textures. As the first interdisciplinary physical and augmented architectural installation in Singapore using Web AR, Inner Like The OutAR will challenge your perceptions of our environment.
When: 19 – 31 January 2021, 5pm – 11pm
Where: Gillman Barracks
Event type: Hybrid, free admission
Go off the map at https://www.artweek.sg/events/inner-like-the-outar
9. Makeover your everyday
Give the boring everyday a makeover with wacky stickers from The Incredible Magical Moving Sticker Exhibition – go crazy with slime, eyes, flashing lights, magic, swinging, sleeping, buzzing and mysterious things!
When: 22 – 30 January 2021
Where: Online
Event type: Digital, free admission
Unleash your inner wacky sides at https://eyeyah.com/article/the-incredible-sticker-show/
10. Walk into empty pandemic-hit streets
The Hours After brings you into the empty apocalyptic streets after a city falls asleep. This night-time gallery experience at Gillman Barracks will showcase five time zones around the world through installations, videos, sound pieces, and time-limited online works. Experiment with the counter-normative, the pandemic-induced dislocation of routines and timespace perception, and get lost in the surreal.
When: 22 – 28 January 2021, 6pm – 11.59pm
Where: Gillman Barracks
Event type: Hybrid, free admission
Hit the streets at http://thehoursafter.com/
Feeling inspired to start your art journey? Go for an adventure, and tell us all about your experience in the comments below!
For more information, you can visit
- Singapore Art Week programme booklet: https://www.artweek.sg/uploads/files/SAW%202021%20Programme%20Booklet%20FA%20Low%20Res%20Linked.pdf
- Singapore Art Week website: https://www.artweek.sg/
