Community arts and culture initiatives in Singapore: understanding the nodal approach

In: Routledge research on urban Asia series

Abstract

"What Can Space Do for the Arts?; What Can Arts Do for Space?; and What Can Arts and Space Do for the Community? Through the lenses of creative placemaking and neighbourhood arts ecology, Trivic re-examines the position of community arts in the spatial, social and cultural landscape. Emphasising urban design considerations of complex interdependent relationships between arts, space and people, he re-explores the role of community-based arts activities in shaping urban neighbourhoods, enriching public life and empowering communities. This is divided into an analysis of spatial opportunities for the arts in the neighbourhood; and a study of the impacts of bringing arts and culture activities into local neighbourhoods and communities, using Singapore's nodal approach as a developed case study. Using spatial opportunity analysis, the book demonstrates a step-by-step procedure for identification and evaluation of the neighbourhood spaces that work best for community arts and culture activities. In the study of impacts, Trivic proposes a holistic framework for capturing and evaluating the non-economic impacts of arts and culture, on space, society, well-being, education and participation. An invaluable template for arts event organisers and artists, as well as an important reading for students and practitioners of neighbourhood planning and urban design"--