Aliwal Urban Art Festival (AUAF) Ignites the Urban Spirit with an Electric Array of Unique Urban ART-tivities

Hi Huneybees,

Coming 27 January 2024, the Aliwal Urban Art Festival (AUAF) organised by Arts House Limited (AHL) will feature an electric array of urban art activities led by tenants from Aliwal Arts Centre (AAC) and various renowned local urban art groups and communities of different artistic practices. 

Held at AAC and organised by Arts House Limited during the last weekend of Singapore Art Week 2024, get ready to be immersed in Singapore’s vibrant urban arts and culture scene through a series of exciting activities led by various renowned local urban arts groups and communities of different artistic practices. From activities like engaging visual art and dance workshops to exciting graffiti showcases, on top of open studio sessions, performances, and more, AUAF invites all to enjoy an eclectic array of free and ticketed unique art-ivities at the heart of the vibrant cultural enclave of Kampong Gelam.

Nine Years Theatre 
(Photo Credit: Yeo Siak Ling)

Spotlighting the growth of the urban art scene  

Staying true to the essence of AUAF which is dedicated to celebrating the distinctive local urban art scene, this year's Festival spotlights the development of urban artworks, emphasizing the growth of the graffiti and street art movement in Singapore in its visual art showcases. 

Urban art collective and AAC tenant, RSCLS which has been actively engaged in and committed to AUAF since its inception in 2014, will present a special exhibition titled "The 10-Year Series - Retrospective of 10 Years of AUAF Art, Solidarity Movement, Rebel Daughters”. 

The exhibition showcases a decade's worth of archival works and images, providing a retrospective look at RSCLS' past programs and partnerships. You will get to witness live graffiti creations unfold right on the grounds of AAC, as graffiti competition GraffFIGHT X’s finalists battle it out for supremacy. Live painting sessions around AAC, including new feature wall murals, will also be happening at the same time. In addition, the alternative walking tour, D’Tour returns, where you get to immerse in the larger-than-life murals and street art decked out all around the Kampong Gelam precinct.

The Improv Company
(Photo Credit: Yeo Wei Lun)

Captivating performances and urban art encounters across different artistic practices

The three-storey arts centre will be invigorated by energetic performances from percussion ensemble NADI Singapura and improvised theatre group The Improv Company, in addition to captivating dance performances by Kalpavriksha Fine Arts and Chowk Productions, where you will be treated to post-performance artist talks. If you are looking to learn the ways of self-expression through theatre, movement and art, look forward to participate in workshops facilitated by Nine Years Theatre, The Improv Company, Chowk Productions and DASSAD.  

The Chinese Opera Studio

Additionally, AAC tenants will also open their studios for visitors curious about their practice and works. Learn more about the interdisciplinary setup Hothouse and artists Chris Chai and Wolfsloth; drop by the studio of New Opera to hear them share vocal and acting tips, and swing by the Chinese Opera Studio to watch how opera performers transform themselves through makeup and costumes.
Those who relish the joy of finding unexpected treasures can also check out the Pop-Up Market which will feature a selection of one-of-a-kind wares by local creatives brought together by The Social Exchange.

Urban Sounds curated by The Linch Agency

(Acts by Akeem Jahat, Khally & YAØ)

Come nightfall, you can indulge in the hip-hop music acts curated by The Linch Agency, and groove to the beats of dynamic street dance duo ScRach MarcS, who will close the night with their Re:Union Party against the backdrop of graffiti and street art of Kampong Gelam. All are invited to join in the fun and dance the night away! 

These Brief Encounters by Chowk Productions
(Photo Credit: Crispian Chan)

Held in conjunction with Singapore Art Week (SAW) 2024, AUAF is a celebration of the precinct’s rich and diverse urban art scene, with free admission for the public. 

For more information on AUAF 2024, kindly visit https://artshouselimited.sg/aac-auaf-2024.

Follow #AliwalUAF2024 on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliwalArtsCentre/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliwalartscentre

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TEXTURES 2024 Invites Audiences to Reimagine the World Of Words

Hi Huneybees,

Organized by Arts House Limited, Textures, the annual literary arts festival that celebrates Singapore literature (SingLit), returns from 19 - 28 January 2024 at The Arts House, in conjunction with the Light to Night Singapore Festival and Singapore Art Week. 

Featuring multidisciplinary SingLit-related programs and showcases that respond to the theme ‘Reimagine,’ Textures transports all visitors to a world where words come alive against the backdrop of other artistic practices and disciplines, casting a spotlight on the literary works that are closest to home.

Marrying poetry, movement, and live music together, the 2024 edition of Textures presents Thank You For Holding, a multidisciplinary piece centering around the alternative experience of connecting to a phone operator at a call centre. Written and directed by by Marc Nair, choreographed by Sudhee Liao with performers Arunditha, Chan Hsin Yee and Jack Ng, and composed by Mantravine, the work is fused together by the spellbinding art direction of Audrey Ng and Low Zi Hao, and the performance is embellished with elements of audience interaction. You are invited to be deeply immersed in the interactive theatre experience where diverse arts practices intersect and are encouraged to reimagine the boundaries of the literary arts, especially in such contemporary times.

Cherita Hantu: Horror Reimagined will also make its return to Textures as Hafidz Rahman presents a fresh take on his spine-chilling performance of five local horror stories. Audiences can prepare their hearts for a multisensory showcase that is sure to spook one’s socks off with the interactive use of smells and sounds that promise a literary twist! 

If you are looking to stock up for your next book-tok social media post, head down to Textures’ pop-up bookstore by Chio Books where book enthusiasts and casual readers alike can encounter a diverse spread of titles by both local and international authors across a myriad of genres. 

Those who prefer digital formats can check out Read At Home at the Level 1 corridor of The Arts House, which is decked out with e-Book titles on display. In partnership with the National Library Board (NLB), you can simply scan the corresponding QR codes to borrow your desired e-books.

You can also expect a feast for their eyes with art installations and digital projections across The Arts House lawn and on its façade. Look forward to Singapore visual artist Justin Loke’s 8-Bit Word Cloud – an outdoor installation that serves as a throwback to early video game graphics and explores the relationship between digital pixels and letters, inviting viewers to reflect on the intersection of digital art and language within the context of classic video game aesthetics. 

For a different experience, check out the mesmerizing projection, Winter Sonata, Summer Mookata by Knuckles & Notch. This mind-bending display takes everyone into a surreal world inspired by anime aesthetics, prompting viewers to reconsider their established perceptions of the seemingly solid borders between the tangible reality and the abstract realms of their imaginations.

Tell Bowie He's Only A Rock Star. I, However, Am A Poet, was an exhibition introduced during the Singapore Writers Festival 2023. A poet, dramatist, novelist and a visionary ahead of his time, the late Goh Poh Seng is credited as being the first writer to introduce Singlish to the stage with his play, When the Smiles are Done. He also won the inaugural National Book Development Council of

Singapore Award for Fiction (known as the Singapore Literature Prize today) with his novel If We Dream Too Long, considered by many to be the first English-language Singaporean novel. Beyond literature, Goh organized David Bowie’s first Singapore concert. When he invited Bowie and his musicians to their home for a performance by classical Chinese musicians, Bowie's band arrived without Bowie, who said that he did not “fraternize with concert promoters.” Goh Poh Seng’s blithe rejoinder “Tell Bowie He’s Only A Rock Star. I However, Am A Poet” compelled Bowie to turn up eventually. This exhibition hopes to capture and highlight key moments that demonstrated his dedication and rebel spirit that should continue to inspire us all. Check it out before it ends its run on 28 January 2024.

The Cultural Medallion Literary Pursuit 

The Cultural Medallion Award is the highest award for artistic excellence in Singapore. Among the 130 recipients are writers and poets whose works bring new and interesting ways of looking at the world. Join them in their pursuit of all things literary to do with our Cultural Medallion recipients! To play, scan the QR code at Our Cultural Medallion Story showcase and hunt for answers within the gallery. A special edition of the activity for children aged 9 and below is also available! Simply ask the friendly gallery sitters for the children’s edition QR code.

Thank You for Holding

For more information on Textures 2024 on the programs as well as ticketing information, visit https://artshouselimited.sg/tah-textures-2024.

Textures 2024

19 - 28 January 2024

10am – 11pm (closing hours differ on selected days)

The Arts House

1 Old Parliament Ln, Singapore 179429

Free admission, with selected ticketed programs

Follow #Textures2024 on

Website: https://artshouselimited.sg/tah-textures-2024

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartshouse 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartshouse/

Do follow me on my social media for more daily updates...
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