If you’ve been feeling a little lacklustre about the happenings in your neighborhood these days, take heart—the annual National Arts Council initiative Arts in Your Neighbourhood (AYN) is back to revitalize the heartlands. In its ninth edition, the event will once again bring a series of immersive arts experiences to the doorsteps of residents. This year, those living in Jurong, Ang Mo Kio, Tampines, Chong Pang, Woodlands, Yew Tee, Toa Payoh and Bedok are in for a treat.
From Nov 9-26, AYN will host 40 arts activities in 17 locations island-wide. The activities will range from music to dance, theater, and the literary and visual arts—but more importantly, will focus on refreshing perspectives of the Jurong neighborhood. Inspired (or rather, uninspired) by the common perception of Jurong as simply an industrial enclave, AYN 2017 seeks to shift attention onto the untold stories and quirks of the West-side neighborhood.
You can look forward to several interactive commissioned programmes. #seeyoursg is a visual arts discovery trail that takes participants through Jurong itself; .txt comprises two text-based visual installations by local poets Pooja Nansi and Daryl Qilin Yam, exploring the interaction between language and Jurong’s localities; and Larger Than Life: The Unspoken Histories of Jurong Neighbourhood will share forgotten points in Jurong history in five interactive, site-specific art installations. Also a highlight in this year’s line-up is Urban Distortions—a multi-disciplinary installation performance involving choreography inside giant plastic bubbles. It’s less Jurong-centric, but no doubt epic.
Admission is free; if you’re a Jurong-er, be prepared to feel some well-deserved West-side pride.
Arts in Your Neighbourhood happens Nov 9-26 at various locations. Check out the full line-up here.
