A brand new art center at Dhoby Ghaut Green is working to promote art in the area while offering a low-cost space for art exhibitions and classes. The center also includes an amphitheater and green spaces near a public transit stop, making the arts even more accessible.
The building that the art space now occupies used to be a restaurant. The current owner and developer of the new facility spent $200,000 over the course of several months to transform the space, which offers exhibition opportunities at significantly less of a cost than similar facilities around Singapore. The center’s goal is to be able to offer creative space at an affordable rate, attracting artists and art groups that might have been deterred from showing artworks because of the high cost required to do so elsewhere. Because of Singapore’s recent art boom, there is also a shortage of available gallery space for artists wishing to show their work. The new art center looks to chip away at that shortage and fill the need.
In addition to the gallery in the new center, there is also a large studio that will be available for workshops and classes. Several workshops, including one on sketching, have already been planned for the space. There are future plans to invite artists into the space to give talks on creative topics.
The National Parks Board, which leased the building to its current occupants, says it hopes the center will attract visitors to Dhoby Ghaut Green and encourage them to practice art, which can be therapeutic and healthy. In addition to physical exercise, practicing art can be a reducer of stress, helping make those who try it out healthier mentally.
There are already several upcoming shows booked for the art center’s gallery space, including a two-week exhibition by the Federation of Art Societies Singapore, which has a membership of several dozen different art groups. The show will be held in conjunction with other art societies from nearby countries, making for a regional highlight of masterpieces. Organizers of the show and members of the groups represented by the show expressed their excitement at the new space, remarking that it is definitely filling the need for quality affordable exhibit space. It is also ideally located, making it accessible for attendees. The art center’s owner says that the facility will encourage Singapore artists to show their work on the premises.
It’s hard to find time during our highly packed schedules for personal pursuits, but if you’ve always wanted to take an art class, you don’t have any more excuses. In your next available free moment, check out the website SGArtClass.com. This site is the easiest place to browse a list of classes that suit your schedule and your interests. Talented teachers will help work around your busy day to make sure you get a quality lesson on a subject of your choosing. Meet with instructors at your house or a convenient common meeting area.
For more on the new venue, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-room-to-showcase-art-in-town.