Lively Places Fund

Lively Places Programme — A Joint Initiative by HDB, URA and NAC

The Lively Places Programme is a joint initiative started by HDB and URA to better support community-led efforts to enliven our public spaces and create a distinctive city. NAC has partnered with both agencies to support artist fees for selected arts projects. Under this collaboration, projects involving artists can receive up to $30,000 in support as follow:

• For projects involving one artist, the artist will get $5,000 in artist fees and up to $20,000 project implementation budget;

• For projects involving two or more artists, the artists will get $10,000 in artist fees and up to $20,000 project implementation budget.

To further strengthen project involvement and commitment, applicants would need to engage the community in the co-creation of the project. These efforts would contribute towards the team’s community match. The value of the volunteering hours, provision of project-related equipment and/or logistical support to conduct the engagement will be clocked as the team’s community match and should be at least 30% of the requested funding.

Hear from community leaders and artists who have brought the arts to their neighbourhoods in these videos ↗ (opens in new tab).

Spaces transformed

Not sure where to start? Here are some examples of the public spaces that have been transformed through the Lively Places Programme.

Blueprint Of A Shophouse

The Blueprint of a Shophouse by Lee Hui Lian and Jerome Ng presented an innovative concept in public artwork — a visual representation of the architectural elements found in Singapore's shophouses. The artwork featured a 1:1 drawing of building elements on the wall of the shophouse at 462 Joo Chiat Road, offering viewers an appreciation of architectural drawing while weaving together history and fiction. Through the blueprint of Joo Chiat shophouses, the work brought cultural storytelling to life in an unexpected and engaging way.

_{Image Courtesy of Urban Redevelopment Authority}

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Floor is Lava

Floor is Lava by Sophia Ong gave a quiet laneway at 241–245 Joo Chiat a playful makeover — reimagining it as a bold, colourful play area that invited everyone to leap, look, and linger a little longer. More than just a visual treat, the concept was shaped hand-in-hand with the Katong-Joo Chiat Business Association and neighbourhood residents. The result added a burst of creativity to the everyday while staying true to the character of the neighbourhood.

_{Image courtesy of Hannah James}

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Ghim Moh Intergenerational Floor Art Mural

Every circle tells a story. In this intergenerational project, student volunteers and seniors came together with artist Dorcas Tang through conversation, storytelling, and artmaking.

Through a series of sharing sessions, students gathered the personal memories, hopes, and aspirations of the seniors they met. These stories then took shape as suncatchers — each circle a window into a life lived, catching the light and holding it gently for all to see.

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