Enlivening Our Shared Spaces and Broadening Access to Arts

Speech by Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Trade & Industry, for the Launch of Art Under Viaduct Spaces Initiative on 17 January 2025

Introduction

1. Good morning. I am very delighted to be here today to launch the Art Under Viaduct Spaces at Bukit Gombak. As you know, it is a place very close to my heart because I happen to also be the Grassroots Advisor.

Making Singapore a Canvas for the Arts through Enlivening Our Shared Spaces

2. Our vision is to make Singapore a Distinctive City of Arts, and this is a key strategic focus of our SG Arts Plan 2023 to 2027.
3. In the past few years of Committee of Supply in Parliament, I have spoken about this plan. Working with the public and private sectors, we aim to make our public spaces unique. We want to make it come to life through the arts.
4. Arts is not just confined to buying a ticket to the Esplanade or Victoria Concert Hall. We really can make arts everywhere, everyday, like what Minister Edwin Tong launched for the Community Development Council (CDC) in July last year, bringing visual arts and performing arts to every corner in Singapore.
5. Today, Singaporeans can enjoy diverse art forms in their everyday lives, whether is it enjoying the murals together at the HDB void decks, enjoying music as we take the train, as well as enjoying cultural performances at community events during the weekend and in conjunction with the various festive occasion.
6. By doing so, we seek to provide Singaporeans with easy access to quality local art, enhancing the vibrancy of both our public spaces as well as commercial spaces.
7. But it means that NAC has to go beyond the usual art spaces – art institutions like the Esplanade, the various museums – by going into the community, forging partnerships with not just People's Association (PA), the CDC, but together with LTA, which has a lot of platforms, and partners like SportSG.

Art Under Viaduct Spaces

8. I am really excited and very heartened that the National Arts Council, NAC, and the Land Transport Authority, LTA, through their two programmes, which is the NAC Public Art Trust initiative and the LTA Art in Transit Programme, have come together in this partnership on an exciting new initiative to further our vision of making Singapore a Distinctive City of Arts.
1. This initiative will introduce art to an often-overlooked feature in our neighbourhoods, which is the spaces under viaducts.
9. We want to allow everyone who walk the first and last mile to the MRT station to enjoy the environment. So, the goal is to transform the daily commute. The daily commute starts when you leave your doorstep by walking that first mile and the last mile to the MRT or to the bus stop.
1. The goal is to transform the daily commute into a very vibrant cultural journey, allowing our residents to experience art in familiar, but often overlooked spaces.

A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak

10. The Art Under Viaduct Spaces at Bukit Gombak initiative is not just a standalone art installation. It is part of a special series of artwork as known as – A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak.
11. Now there is one lady who has been hard at work on this, and later on when I say her name, I hope you can all put your hands together and thank her.
12. This artwork was created by award-winning local artist, Ms Quek Jia Qi. She has a very deep passion for arts and pedagogy and the intersection where they meet.
13. Jia Qi's artworks are displayed as large-scale contemporary art wraps around 10 big pillars near the Bukit Gombak MRT station, just a stone throw away. We are all looking forward to take a look at them shortly now.
14. NAC Population Survey on the Arts found that seven in ten respondents agreed that the arts and culture play an essential role in drawing Singaporeans closer together as a community.
15. This is precisely what we seek to achieve right here in Bukit Gombak. Jia Qi has incorporated artefacts from Bukit Gombak residents, as well as our Hillview Heritage Gallery at the Hillview Community Club (CC) into her artwork.
1. I must tell you a little bit about the Hillview CC. It is within the same constituency. It was launched on the 5th of May 2019 by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. As Bukit Gombak is a place of history and heritage, our volunteers curated a very nice Hillview Heritage Gallery on the fourth floor. The Gallery was opened by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong on the fifth anniversary of Hillview CC.
16. Jia Qi has integrated the artefacts contributed by the residents, as well as those from the Hillview Heritage Gallery.
17. Now, through both her artistic vision and these contributions, Jia Qi has brought Bukit Gombak’s rich history and heritage, natural landscape, and vibrant community spirit to life.
18. I will give one quick example. Later on, you can see for yourself a very interesting collage.
1. Resident Aaron Lim contributed an image of a L-plate. I think all of us are familiar with the L-plate. Now, for those who are not so familiar with the area, I want to use this occasion to share with you that Bukit Gombak is home to the Bukit Batok Driving Centre. A lot of people will come to this driving centre with a bit of nerves, especially when they need to take a test.
2. Why did Aaron choose to contribute the L-plate? Aaron explained, and I quote, “The L-plate brings back memories, memories of nervous laughter, especially on the test day, and early morning lessons at Bukit Batok Driving Centre.”
3. The L-plate represents more than just learning to drive. In fact, it is a rite of passage that is shared by many residents in Bukit Gombak, and in fact across Singapore, each with his or her own story to tell of this very familiar training circuit.
4. I am sure you agree that Aaron's story really strike a chord with some of you who have got your driving license right here in Bukit Gombak, so I am sure it will bring back special memories when you see the artwork later.
5. Other than Aaron's contribution, there are many other stories that are behind the artefacts contributed by the residents. Each really has a unique backstory connected to Bukit Gombak, and these very personal stories enrich our understanding of the community's rich heritage.
19. During the period when the art warps around the viaducts are on display, we want to welcome residents not just from Bukit Gombak, but from South West and all over Singapore to come and view it.
20. We also want to invite our Bukit Gombak residents to continue to contribute their image of artefacts representing Bukit Gombak. I want to encourage you to share this opportunity with your family, your friends, your neighbours, so that they can also contribute their cherished memories of Bukit Gombak.
21. This is a very meaningful way of celebrating SG60. You might have heard from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong talking about how as we come together to commemorate SG60 together, a more meaningful way to celebrate it is to show care, to connect with one another, and in a way to contribute any way we can. By contributing our cherished memories, I think is the best way to commemorate our sixtieth year of nation building together.
22. Today's newly launched initiative is part of the larger celebration of the arts during Singapore Art Week 2025 (SAW), which kicks off today. As Singapore's flagship visual art event, SAW seeks to bring art into our heartlands so that more Singaporeans can experience arts right at their doorstep. I am happy to share with you that more than 160 events featuring local and international visual artists will be held to cater to audiences of all ages.
1. We are very happy. Many of them are like Jia Qi, our local artists of all ages and all backgrounds, who use this as a platform to reach out to the rest of Singapore, to the rest of the region, and to the rest of the world.
23. This collaboration between NAC and LTA extends beyond Bukit Gombak. This is just a springboard. As part of their efforts to promote the arts on public transport, commuters can board a SAW-themed train on the North East line. This train features Wishes in the Wind: Tapestries for the future, which is a collaborative project between SAW and PAssion Arts. PAssion Arts is also a very important art initiative under the PA.
24. Residents from Tampines North Community Arts and Culture Club (CACC) participated in a series of guided workshops, contributing handcrafted and transcribed wishes that are now part of this unique exhibition for all of us to enjoy during our daily commutes. We hope that commuters can interact with the artwork, or even interact with each other such as by nodding to each other. In addition, I am happy to share that commuters will find murals at eight MRT stations island wide, including Little India, Harbourfront and Bugis MRT stations. LTA has helped spread the love for the arts across all districts.
25. Our efforts to foster a deeper appreciation for the visual arts through SAW are part of a larger plan to promote inclusive participation in the arts, and to also make Singapore a Distinctive City of the Arts.

Broadening Access to Arts through Partnerships

26. All these achievements are possible because of the partnership that we forged in the Public, Private and People sector.
27. Now, I would like to thank Eng Teong, Lynette, and everyone in NAC that have been working hard, forging partnerships with LTA and various partners.
28. They have been working with individuals, including independent content creators, writers, as well as organisations and partners to drive initiatives that improve access to the arts for everyone. I want to share with you one very memorable initiative.
1. I remember I graced the launch of Hear65’s ‘I Play SG Music’ initiative in late 2023. This is an initiative by NAC and SMRT, and it is a commendable initiative because it allows three million MRT communities to enjoy local music daily on their train journey. The MRT is the best platform to allow the three million commuters who take the train every day to have the first exposure to our local music, and then check out their music on iTunes or Spotify.
2. In another meaningful collaboration, SMRT partnered with NAC, and the non-profit organisation ART:DIS to enable persons with disabilities to do busking at 20 MRT stations. This initiative not only provides an accessible platform for their talents, but also promotes inclusion and celebrate diversity within our community.
29. These strategic partnerships have injected new energy into our public transport network, making daily commutes more enjoyable for many Singaporeans while creating opportunities for arts practitioners to showcase their craft.
30. So, ladies and gentlemen, as we celebrate SG60 this year, it is an opportune time to seek new opportunities and partnerships to connect Singaporeans from all walks of life through arts and culture. By continuing to innovate and collaborate with like-minded partners like we see today, we can ensure that arts remain accessible, going out to our heartlands all over Singapore, fostering deeper connections within the community.
31. I think you all may recall that during the COVID-19 period, all of us really yearned to watch live performances to enjoy the arts and culture, because arts and culture really nourish our souls. I think all these partnerships and shared experiences will certainly help us build a brighter, more conducive future.

Conclusion

32. In closing, on behalf of MCCY and National Arts Council, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners, mainly LTA, for a very big contribution here. Thank you for seeding this idea of arts in transit. I also want to thank SMRT for working with us since Hear65’s ‘I Play SG Music’. I want to thank PA colleagues, Bukit Gombak Constituency Office, and SportSG, for allowing us to use this beautiful venue.
33. Your collective support and dedication have really been instrumental in shaping the arts landscape in Singapore.
34. Now, turning to my Bukit Gombak residents, I want to encourage you to explore Singapore Art Week. There are events for family, friends and neighbours. You can share with them over WhatsApp and the various social media platforms, because the dynamic lineup of programmes and art experience offers something for everyone, from museum galleries to independent art spaces and public areas.
35. Let's celebrate arts together and discover new ways to connect through arts and culture. On that note, I wish everyone a happy Friday. Happy weekend. Thank you.