Local Focus: The Artground
If you have yet to notice, we have had 2 local features over the past 2 months – on Esplanade as well as Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Through this monthly Focus, we hope to shed more light on the local Singaporean music and arts scene. And to introduce our readers to some of these wonderful organisations and spaces in Singapore ~
Our local focus this month will be on a space which may not appear to be directly related to chamber music, but which is one that Chamber Music and Arts Singapore has been closely connected with ~
The Artground is a free access arts space for children. Managed by The Ground Co Limited, a registered arts charity, The Artground aims to provide positive arts experiences across a variety of art forms in an accessible space, for children from every community ~ from birth to 9 years old.
Through interactive visual art spaces, The Artground offers children the opportunity to engage in non-directive exploration and to increase their awareness of aesthetic elements and their sense of appreciation.
The Artground’s Arts Space undergoes changes in installations throughout the year to continuously bring new and fresh elements to its young visitors.
The Artground is also home to The WhiteBox, where weekend arts programmes are held. With a wide spectrum of drop-in and ticketed programmes, ranging across performing arts workshops and performances, storytelling sessions and other arts activities, children and families can look forward to a variety of experiences each visit.
Just last November in 2019, Chamber Music and Arts Singapore (then Tang Tee Khoon Grand Series) held our set of interactive Concerts for Children in The WhiteBox, welcoming over 200 children and parents across sessions for children ages 0 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 6 & 6 to 12 ~
With unique activities designed specially for each age group, children and families explored Mozart’s music through various settings:
under the twinkling night sky
connecting musical personalities with characteristics of iconic animals
going onboard an imaginary Ferris Wheel
becoming a guest at a dreamy Masquerade Ball
Regrettably, with the pandemic, The Artground has been closed to the public over the past months.
However, the team at The Artground continues to bring love and art to children and families through #HomewithTAG, an initiative in collaboration with local artists to share fun and creative ideas families can engage in together from home.
#HomewithTAG offers easy-to-follow tutorial videos and comprehensive guides that parents can access from home ~ to organise some hands-on fun together with their children, making cardboard Peekaboo boxes, sensory boards, rolling baskets, puppets and more ~!
Tapping on the wonderful space within The WhiteBox, The Artground has also been involved in Arts in Your Neighbourhood, a National Arts Council programme that brings a month-long series of engaging and fun arts activities to the communities, twice a year. Amongst the exciting lineup of activities, many of the live-streamed performances such as Invisible Invincible and Jazz For Kids – Hello Humpty! were shot in The WhiteBox. Through these efforts, The Artground continues to contribute to local music and arts from behind its closed doors.
As Singapore’s daily count stabilises, we hope that everyone is keeping safe, well, and continuously alert, so that spaces such as The Artground can hopefully resume operations very soon.
Like The Artground, we are all working smart to continue to bring music and the arts to you, even with physical distance in between us ~
Let’s stay positive about our future, whilst keeping conscientious and healthy !