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No concert hall, no dress code needed: Just the arts, where life happens
Through ArtsEverywhere @ CDC and National Gallery Singapore’s Art on Wheels, unexpected arts experiences are popping up closer to home
Drawn by a familiar tune, an ordinary evening became a shared memory as neighbours paused from the hustle and bustle of the day to listen to Rit Xu playing the flute.
PHOTOS: SPH MEDIA
The scent of durian lingered in the air as musicians from Jazz Association (Singapore) filled the evening with music. A flute solo drifted through the chatter of uncles and aunties catching up over dinner. Children, clutching balloon cartoon characters, darted between batik workshops and colouring booths. Some families stopped for a song before heading home with their takeaway meals. Others stayed a little longer than planned.
It wasn’t a concert hall or an arts festival. It was an ordinary weekend in Khatib where ArtsEverywhere @ CDC and National Gallery Singapore’s Art on Wheels programme brought live jazz music and hands-on art activities into the heartlands.
In a place where people usually gather to shop, eat and run errands, jazz and visual arts became part of the everyday rhythm, inviting passers-by to stop, watch and join in. This is the quiet magic of the arts. They often appear when least expected, turning everyday moments into memories. Whether it’s music at a neighbourhood square or art around the corner, the arts have a way of bringing people together, one shared moment at a time.
Alemay Fernandez’s performance had the crowd smiling, swaying and humming along, no matter what language they spoke.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Grandparents, parents and children sat side by side, sharing an evening that was as much about being together as it was about the music.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Careful hands steadied the cloth as a pattern slowly came to life. There was no rush, just mindful, patient brush strokes and the quiet satisfaction of watching a batik design emerge.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Through batik prints, young visitors discovered the joy of creative expression and created artworks they were proud to take home.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
A woodblock print became the start of a conversation through Art on Wheels, a travelling exhibition bringing art to neighbourhoods.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
The joy of jazz lies in the unexpected, with each performance finding its own rhythm.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Small hands, careful work, and the excitement of creating batik prints on their own.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
One steady beat was enough to draw curious ears a little closer, and when one person stopped listen, others soon joined in.
Curious hands couldn’t resist trying a few notes. Soon, listeners became musicians too.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Find out how else the arts can make life seem fuller when woven into our everyday.
‘Life. Better with the Arts’ brings together stories of people, places and moments that show how the arts can enrich your life. Explore more stories and discover how a shared experience, a familiar song or a chance encounter with the arts can make every day feel a little more special.
