Press Releases and Statements

Singapore, 30 March 2025 – From April 2025 to March 2026, Singaporeans will enjoy double the number of monthly arts performances at heartland venues across Singapore. ArtsEverywhere@CDC is a collaboration by the National Arts Council (NAC), the five Community Development Councils (CDCs) and People’s Association (PA). It has brought the arts closer to over 40,000 residents since its launch last July at Paya Lebar Quarter by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong.

As ArtsEverywhere@CDC gains momentum over the next year, there will be over 200 diverse arts performances and activities by more than 80 artists and arts groups – an increase of nearly three times – comprising larger-scale arts groups, as well as smaller-scale street performers and artists. Through the expansion of ArtsEverywhere@CDC, this initiative is set to reach over 50,000 Singaporeans, as residents will have greater access to the arts and more opportunities to strengthen community bonds, while local artists and arts groups also have a platform to showcase their craft and reach new audiences.

Guest-of-Honour, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, and Adviser to Chua Chu Kang GRC Grassroots Organisations, Mr Gan Kim Yong, announced the expanded programme line-up at an ArtsEverywhere@CDC event at SAFRA Choa Chu Kang on 30 March 2025, that featured a performance by Brahmastra Multi-Ethnic Ensemble with multi-ethnic instruments such as the Tabla, Oud and Guzheng, as well as dancers from Flamenco Sin Fronteras and Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS).

Celebrating SG60 with ArtsEverywhere@CDC

As part of the SG60 celebrations, ArtsEverywhere@CDC’s rich line-up of arts and culture activities will bring communities together and build greater inclusivity, as we collectively celebrate Singapore’s unique shared values of multiculturalism in this special year.

The enhanced initiative will feature art groups and artists performing in a wider range of art forms. Under the line-up of larger-scale arts groups, there will be puppetry by Paper Monkey Theatre, hip hop dance by O School, inclusive performances by The Purple Symphony and a multi-cultural repertoire to enhance your wellbeing by the TENG Company. Each performance will also be accompanied by hands-on activities for people of all ages.

Complementing the larger-scale arts groups, will be an increased number of smaller-scale performances by street performers organised by PA’s Community Arts and Culture Clubs (CACCs), which are grassroots organisations supported by volunteers with a passion for promoting community arts. The street performers will perform at community spaces, such as outside MRT stations and within hawker or food centres, so that more Singaporeans can experience the arts. Participating divisions and their CACCs schedule the street performers on a fixed day each month, creating a familiar cycle for residents to join the programme regularly.

Singaporeans will also get to experience ArtsEverywhere@CDC at more locations islandwide. In addition to the existing heartland venues located mainly at neighbourhood malls, the CDCs and PA have also planned for ArtsEverywhere@CDC to take place at more heartland venues over the next year, making the most of community spaces by transforming local parks, town squares, Community Clubs and Community Centres into pop-up showcases of arts and culture. Some of the new venues for April’s programmes include Somme Park, Jurong Central, Canberra Park and Anchorvale Village.

In line with the strategic priorities in NAC’s Our SG Arts Plan (2023 – 2027), the ArtsEverywhere@CDC initiative promotes Singaporeans’ engagement with the arts. It also seeks to create meaningful opportunities for artists and arts groups to showcase their work and reach new and diverse audiences.

GoWhere site launched for ArtsEverywhere@CDC

To help residents easily locate the expanded ArtsEverywhere@CDC programmes located islandwide, the CDCs, in collaboration with Government Technology Agency of Singapore, have launched a dedicated GoWhere platform at https://go.gov.sg/artseverywhere-cdc.

Residents can key in their postal code to receive information on the nearby performances. There are also options to filter the information based on timeframe, art form, or the respective CDCs. Residents can also visit the website for more information about the various artists and activities to plan their next ArtsEverywhere@CDC experience.

Residents bond over shared arts and culture experiences

Residents of all ages have embraced and enjoyed the ArtsEverywhere@CDC experience and come together as a community.

For Ms Tina Binte Samat, 59, the experience at an ArtsEverywhere event was particularly memorable. She says, “I came across the ArtsEverywhere@CDC by chance and it proved to be more than just an arts event for me. The event brought together different races and cultures, and I found the interactive performances interesting. I was especially excited to meet my neighbours at the event and being able to bond over meaningful conversations about the performances and art. This truly embodies the spirit of kampung living and I look forward to attending more ArtsEverywhere events.”

Providing a platform for local arts groups to reach new audiences

Local artists and arts groups such as Brahmastra Ensemble and yIN Harmony were able to share their performances with the wider community through ArtsEverywhere@CDC.

Says Niranjan Pandian, Creative Director of Brahmastra “Being part of ArtsEverywhere@CDC was more than just performing — it was about connecting with people. As we performed across neighbourhoods, we felt the warmth, energy, and enthusiasm of the community in a way that was truly special. It was a heartfelt reminder of how the arts bring artists, organisations, and communities together in meaningful ways."

Added QingLun Tan, yIN Harmony, “ArtsEverywhere@CDC beautifully captures the spirit of sharing arts and culture with everyone, everywhere. I find it inspiring how people in the heartlands come together, freely enjoying performances at their doorstep, creating vibrant moments filled with laughter, music, and community bonding. This platform has also given me and my band the opportunity to tour Singapore, gain a better understanding of the city and bring our performances to more audiences.”

More information on ArtsEverywhere@CDC’s programme line-up can be found in the Annexes, and images of artists and arts group can be accessed in the digital media kit at this link.

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