The National Arts Council and Singapore Land Authority launch a joint tender for State Properties at 52 to 56 Kampong Java Road for multi-disciplinary arts sandbox use

An arts industry led space

Kampong Java was conceived of as an experimental space for artist-led innovation and creation, initiated in response to industry feedback from arts practitioners for dedicated and relevant spaces. The site aims to support nascent, emerging talent to experiment, hone their craft, and eventually gain a foothold in the sector. This is part of the Government’s efforts to work with the arts community to develop arts spaces, in tandem with the growing interest that arts companies and artists have shown.

Kampong Java is designed with the arts community’s needs in mind. The tender incorporates key points raised by members of the arts industry over a series of engagements in the past years, one of which was for a Master Tenant to manage the space. More details of the feedback received can be found on NAC’s website.

This is the first time that State properties are launched through a joint PQ tender on a 5+4-year tenure for arts sandbox use, which reaffirms the value of the arts in enlivening spaces. Potential tenderers, including those with experience in managing arts spaces and/or in the arts sector, are invited to submit their proposals by 18 September 2024.

Tender Details for Kampong Java

The heritage State Properties at 52 to 56 Kampong Java Road comprise five units with a total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of approximately 996 sqm. They are located in close proximity to the Novena and Little India MRT stations. The properties are also well-served by amenities and are a short walk to the United Square Shopping Mall and the Pek Kio Market and Food Centre. SLA has carried out restoration and renovation works to the property, such as interior upgrading, building a new driveway and carpark lots. The works were completed in June 2024. Please see Annex A for site details and photos.

The tender proposals will be evaluated based on Price (30%) and Quality (70%), with a higher weightage placed on the Quality component to encourage compelling concepts and quality proposals from the tenderers. The concept proposal should include ideas on how the premises can be positioned as a vibrant arts sandbox and suggested strategies to attract artists from multi disciplines to the space. We are also looking for   interesting place-making programmes by the Master Tenant to engage the arts occupants and the wider public to turn the space into a vibrant community area.

Prospective tenderers are expected to detail how the premises will be made accessible and affordable, in particular, the inclusion of various pricing schemes for the different arts occupants.  The quality component will also take into consideration business sustainability and maintenance plans to preserve the heritage value of the properties, and the incorporation of green initiatives.

Interested tenderers can submit their proposals via SLA’s State Property Online Information (SPIO) portal at https://app.sla.gov.sg/spio ↗ (opens in new tab).

Unlocking accessible arts spaces in Singapore

Tay Tong, Director, Visual Arts (Arts Ecosystem Group), NAC, said “NAC has been engaging the arts community who has raised not only the need for more spaces for artists’ led experimentation and creation, but also for artists to decide how to run these spaces. NAC supports the aspirations of the arts industry. Partnering SLA, the five heritage units at Kampong Java are restored so artists can now manage and have even more suitable spaces that support and bring out the best in their practices. NAC will continue to seek out and work with partners to diversify and unlock spaces for the arts.”      

Carrie Wong, Director, Business Planning and Development Division/SLA said: “SLA proactively engages industry players and public agencies to pivot State properties for a range of community uses – be it for arts, sports or lifestyle. Such adaptive reuse efforts are a sustainable way to breathe a new lease of life to our State properties and can add vibrancy to the precinct. We look forward to receiving quality proposals for the tender.”

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Issued by:

National Arts Council and Singapore Land Authority

Media Kit: https://bit.ly/kampongjava1549 ↗ (opens in new tab)

About the National Arts Council, Singapore

The National Arts Council champions the arts in Singapore and is committed to nurturing a vibrant and sustainable arts scene that enriches the lives of Singaporeans. Our distinctive arts sector fosters artistic excellence, inspires society, sparks creativity, and connects Singapore with the world. Through our collaborative efforts with individuals, private and public sectors, we aim to cultivate a creative city that inspires, while anchored on a thriving, inclusive and diverse arts scene.

For more information on the Council’s mission and plans, visit NAC Website.

About SLA

Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is a statutory board with the Ministry of Law. Its mission is to optimise land resources for the social and economic development of Singapore. SLA manages some 11,000 hectares of State land and about 2,600 State properties, which have largely been tenanted out for a variety of uses. It also manages land sales, leases, acquisitions, and allocation, developing and marketing land-related information, and maintaining the national land information database through digitised land information services. Being the national land registration authority for property transactions, SLA issues and guarantees land titles in Singapore. It also manages and maintains the national land survey system, where boundaries or legal limits of properties are defined, based on a coordinated cadastre survey system. The use of geospatial information is also spearheaded by SLA through a national collaborative environment where geospatial data, policies and technologies are established and defined, thereby fostering innovation, knowledge and value creation for the Government, enterprises, and community.  

For more details, visit www.sla.gov.sg ↗ (opens in new tab) or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @SingaporeLandAuthority. 

Annex A

Site Details (Total) for 52 to 56 Kampong Java Road

Site Details (Individual Units) for 52 to 56 Kampong Java Road