Debated in Parliament on 7 May 2024.
Ms Usha Chandradas asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) when are redevelopment works at the Singapore Art Museum's (SAM)'s two sites, of the former St Joseph's Institution building on Bras Basah Road and former Catholic High School's building on Queen Street, expected to be completed; (b) when are these two sites expected to reopen for public access; and (c) how will SAM's present space at Tanjong Pagar Distripark (TPD) be utilised when these two sites are reopened.
The Singapore Art Museum has been operating at Tanjong Pagar Distripark (TPD) since 2022 and is doing well at its current location.
The contiguous space and high ceilings in TPD are well-suited for showcasing contemporary arts. SAM has hosted multiple successful exhibitions at TPD, including Singapore Biennale 2022, Ho Tzu Nyen: Time & the Tiger and SAM Contemporaries: Residues and Remixes. Because of the space afforded at TPD, SAM was able to display large-scale contemporary artworks such as Ong Kian Peng's The Viscous Sea and Ho Tzu Nyen's Hotel Aporia, giving visitors an opportunity to immerse fully in the artworks and experience them as the artists intended. SAM has received positive feedback from visitors about its current location.
In view of this, SAM plans to remain at TPD in the near-future.
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth is considering plans for the Old St Joseph Institution Building and will share more details when they are ready.
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