The arts are all around us. They can come in different forms, shapes and sizes. And they can change the way you think, act and feel. The Arts Can Inspire Your Every Day, showcases how the arts can positively impact our every day. Through encounters with various artforms, we see ordinary moments turned into extraordinary experiences.
From empowering youths through the spoken word, to creating melodies that inspire harried professionals to slow down, reconnecting families distanced by devices to helping seniors with dementia remember.
Let’s look at #OurSGArts in a whole new way.
Discover how the arts transform and inspire the way we live
Be moved by Decadance Co and Dementia Singapore, who use dance and movement therapy to improve the well-being of seniors with dementia and in turn inspire others in their community to appreciate and embrace the arts as an integral part of their lives.
Slow down with tuneful music by classical musicians from Lorong Boys and Luke Chong from 555 Beatbox Initiative, against the ebb of a fast-paced nation. Working professionals are treated to an unexpected performance at the Central Business District as they slow down to appreciate life and the arts.
Stephanie Dogfoot transforms real youth stories of challenges growing up, into an inspiring spoken word performance, demonstrating how literary arts can empower our youths.
See how family bonds can be transformed and deepened through the visual arts. Quek Jia Qi presents a collaborative visual arts activity to deepen connections within families distanced by technology as they stay in the here and now and make art in each other’s company.
Get inspired by stories of artists and audiences whose lives have been impacted by the arts
Music has the ability to entertain, bring joy and help us relax. But according to music therapist from Dover Park Hospice (@doverparkhospice), Camellia Soon, it has even more therapeutic abilities than we know. Click here to read more.
2009 Cultural Medallion recipient and Artistic Director Angela Liong proves that age is just a number. Even after decades, the dance doyenne continues to actively engage in creating works for professional dance company (@artsfission). Click here to read more.
The arts have the power to uplift spirits amidst the mundane - as demonstrated by sketch artist Jeff Lai (@playingwithpencil) who uses his drawings to connect with strangers and bring them joy. Click here to read more.
Think you can’t draw? According to art educator Nicola Choo (@drawingright), everybody can learn! “It is a cognitive skill. There is a science behind it that can also be used to develop critical thinking skills." Click here to read more.
Ever loved a song or a poem because you can relate to the singer or poet’s emotions? As an 18-year-old girl under the HCA Star PALS (Paediatric Advanced Life Support) programme, music has always been Belle’s source of comfort and joy. Click here to read more.
According to actress (@munahbagharib), life is a performance - and everyone is an actor in their own right. This perspective has given her the confidence to express herself and forge deeper relationships with others. Click here to read more.
The family that rocks together, stays together! Meet Singapore’s coolest family band (@TheLesslars). The Lesslars started out as a father-daughter musical duo back in 2014, and has since grown into a four-piece band. Click here to read more.
For six-year-old Mira, all the world’s a stage!Everything and anything can become inspiration for her to stage a play at home – from the books she has read, local musicals she has watched, and bible stories she has been told. Click here to read more.
The arts can inspire your every day. Spot these features at MRT stations as we bring the arts into your daily commute.
Nests, 2020, Shen Jia Qi. The yellow lines layered with windows of public housing flats represent narratives from observations of lives led within the lines of societal and personal expectations, with the inhabitants' hopeful wait for the promise of eventual happiness.
Flower Moon over Singapore River, 2022, The Arts Fission Company. Do what folks did Along the River During the Qingming Festival in Song dynasty. Toast the moon at historic Cavenagh Bridge.
Circles EP, 2022, MYRNE. Exploring the boundaries between sight & sound, this EP incorporates MYRNE's signature sampling techniques while navigating between ethereal vocals & recorded textures. Circles is paired with 'MYRNEscapes', an exploration game with audio-reactive landscapes.
Nature of Things, 2021, Subsonic Eye. Nature of Things is a bold album, which seamlessly synergises the band's indie rock sound with angular chording and rhythms. The album tells of adventures through the forests of Singapore and the band's wide-eyed love for the natural world.
Hijau, 2020, Fajrina Razak. Hijau, which means green in Malay, is inspired by plants found in green spaces and the natural world, a reminder of its vitality in life, and the essential nourishments it provides.
Mask, 2020, Kelly Limerick. In Singapore, trees and bushes are usually immaculately manicured. But the lockdown gave them an opportunity to grow wild. Plants creep over and become a part of this mask, which has since become a symbol for the time period of the COVID-19 pandemic; an interpretation of the growth we were all made to go through.
The Goddess In The Living Room, 2014, Latha. The Goddess In The Living Room, is a collection of short stories that provides a powerful outlet for the voices of Tamil women in Singapore. You can find out more about Latha and other Singaporean writers at www.prose.sg.
Paradise City, 2015, Jennifer Anne Champion. A poem that paints an unfiltered picture of land-starved but prosperous Singapore, where people are consantly concerned about personal wealth. And the greatest (and most expensive) asset one can own is a dream. You can find out more about Jennifer Anne Champion and other Singaporean poets at www.poetry.sg.
Recess Time, 2017 - 2023, Practice Tuckshop. A lunch party featuring "ugly produce", Recess Time combines the art of cooking, conversations and storytelling in a single encounter. Enjoy a delicious meal, combat food waste, share food memories and meet new friends. Photo by Tim Nguyen.
Emily of Emerald Hill, 2019, Wild Rice. "Theatre takes a snapshot of life and frames it, so that we can observe what we see and understand what we know. It entertains, inspires and challenges us to see beyond our differences. We enter a performance as strangers, but as participants in a shared experience, we leave as a community." Ivan Heng, Founding Artistic Director.
Keen to learn more about Singapore’s arts scene?
Follow NAC socials for The Arts Can Inspire Your Every Day campaign and share your stories through the hashtag #OurSGArts.
We invite you to come find out more about The Arts Plan today as we build a dynamic arts sector together. Painting, theatre, literature, music, dance — no matter the discipline, every work of art enriches our everyday, adding texture and meaning to our lives.
Join the making of Our SG Arts Plan (2023 - 2027).