1. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) today announced a partnership with the National Arts Council (NAC) to make available an interim independent space along the Rail Corridor for street art.

2. The introduction of this interim art space, which will be for a period of one year starting in 2014, is in line with the spirit of “PubliCity” – an initiative launched during URA’s Draft Master Plan 2013 to involve the community to design and programme open spaces into interesting public spaces¹. With support from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), URA and the NAC have worked together to facilitate a space for street art beneath the Commonwealth Avenue viaduct structure along the Rail Corridor.

3. Mr Tan See Nin, URA’s Senior Director for Physical Planning, said, “The Rail Corridor is currently a recreational space with many people strolling, jogging and cycling along the trail and enjoying the green landscapes along the way. We would like the Rail Corridor to be a place for shared experiences and community bonding as well. We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner NAC and the street art community to introduce this art space. It is a creative way to inject more vibrancy and community involvement into the Rail Corridor and provide a unique experience for users of this public space.”

4. Currently an empty sheltered space, two walls beneath the viaduct structure will become a canvas for street artists to hone their skills and produce transient artwork for Rail Corridor users to discover. RSCLS, an urban art collective and recipient of the NAC Seed Grant, will be curating the space in 2014. To deepen public awareness about the art form, RSCLS will facilitate community participation through activities such as a street art jam.

5. Mr Kenneth Kwok, NAC’s Director of Arts & Youth said: “Street artists and their work are an exciting part of Singapore’s diverse and vibrant arts scene. We hope that by facilitating dedicated art spaces, like the one along the Rail Corridor, street artists can have the physical and artistic room to express themselves and practice their craft. This is critical to the development of the Singapore street art scene, which the Council will continue to support through grants, spaces and public engagement about the value of street art."

6. The public has been enjoying the Corridor as a leisure space with many outdoor activities being held there over the past two years. To ensure that the public can enjoy this space safely, the SLA will continue to maintain the Corridor regularly, and will work closely with NParks to manage the trees and natural environment along the Corridor.

This news release is also available in URA Online at http://www.ura.gov.sg/

¹For more information on the “PubliCity” initiative, please visit http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/media-room/news/2013/nov/pr13-76.aspx

-End-

Issued by:
Urban Redevelopment Authority
National Arts Council
The Singapore Land Authority
23 December 2013