By Jocelyn Chng (1,550 words, 5-minute read) Attending From Here On, my first live performance since COVID hit, evoked a very strange mix of emotions in me. Unfortunately, before getting anywhere near the performance itself, the experience of attempting to get to the Esplanade was already one of sheer frustration. Anyone in Singapore who has […]
From Here On: Going to the theatre in the time of COVID Read More »
ArtsEquator Lobang is a list of available open calls, job postings and other opportunities open to people from Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Lobang”, a Malay word for “hole”, is used in Singlish as a shorthand for an opportunity, valuable contact or a tip. Scroll down or click for easier access. Info & Resources | Open
Open Calls and Opportunities: Sep 2020 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Bangkok Art Biennale; Singapore creatives forced home Read More »
Safe Havens Freedom Talks presents a panel titled “Arts and Culture in Southeast Asia: Proxy Wars” in collaboration with ArtsEquator. Our panel of four Southeast Asian speakers, Ann Lee (Malaysia), Katrina Stuart Santiago (The Philippines), T.Sasitharan (Singapore) and R.Sivarasa (Malaysia) will share case studies of recent arts and culture censorship, and share their insights into
Freedom Talks: Arts and Culture in Southeast Asia: Proxy Wars Read More »
In this month’s theatre podcast, Nabilah Said, Matthew Lyon and Naeem Kapadia discuss two plays from the Festival of Women: N.O.W. 2020: King, written and performed by Jo Tan and directed by Jasmine Ng; and The Book of Mothers, written by Eleanor Tan and directed by Edith Podesta. N.O.W. is presented by T:>Works. King ran from
Podcast 81: King and The Book of Mothers Read More »
We all miss being able to attend shows physically in theatres, but we’re also quick to adapt. As we watch more and more shows on a screen, what kind of audience members have we become? Take the quiz below to find out. [Featuring illustrations by HAFI] Click the image or here to start. This content
Which Type of Online Arts Audience Are You? Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have
Weekly Southeast Asian Radar: Alcohol & East Malaysians; The Singapore Grip Read More »
As Singapore gets used to life under Phase 2 of our COVID-19 relaxation measures, players like Singapore Festival of the Arts (SIFA) – or its gentle rebrand SIFA v2.020 – are responding with programmes that are welcoming us back into a semblance of normalcy. SIFA’s film component, Singular Screens, runs from 4 September to 11
Singular Screens – Cinema, the way you want it Read More »
by Kathy Rowland ArtsEquator sometimes feels like a mythical creature. Looking back over the past 4 years, it takes the shape of a unicorn, a joyful improbability. With Covid-19, it can weigh like an albatross, cash flow statements instead of wing span, web traffic in place of talons. Perhaps it is a hippogriff, half earthbound
ArtsEquator, Deadline Now Read More »
By Joel Tan Okay, as if we needed another existential crisis during the Pandemic of 2020, more than a hundred classic Singapore TV shows and movies just got dumped on Netflix. For our younger Gen Z readers who grew up when terrestrial television in Singapore was already a joke-category, this moment might be bewildering, even embarrassing.
An Elder Millennial’s Guide to Classic Singapore TV & Movies Read More »
ArtsEquator Lobang is a list of available open calls, job postings and other opportunities open to people from Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Lobang”, a Malay word for “hole”, is used in Singlish as a shorthand for an opportunity, valuable contact or a tip. Scroll down or click for easier access. Info & Resources | Open
Open Calls and Opportunities: Aug 2020 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
Singapore’s bicentennial year in 2019 sparked great discussion and debate about the legacies of imperialism and colonialism, which continues till today, in step with larger conversations happening globally around decolonisation, indigeneity and civil rights. With the third edition of The Arts House’ LumiNation festival focusing on migration, historian and academic Timothy P. Barnard delves into
Imperial Creatures: Singapore beyond ‘great men’ history Read More »
Lesser known narratives involving migration in Singapore are in the spotlight with The Arts House’ latest edition of LumiNation. A new webisode series focusing on the Baweanese community in Singapore recently premiered with its first episode on August 1. The three-episode series is titled “Orang Phebien”, a term instantly recognisable to Baweanese people as the
Orang Phebien: Telling the story of the Baweanese Read More »
As the work of artists evolve with the restrictions of COVID-19, do critics also need to reassess how they look at performance? Four critics, Loo Zihan, Teo Xiao Ting, Jocelyn Chng and Germaine Cheng discuss their responses as more and more performances go online, and whether it has led to a recalibration or softening of
Burning Questions: Can Critics Criticise during a Pandemic? Read More »
Artists today have to grapple with being true to their creative integrities while dealing with the limitations of tech platforms and live delivery methods. With social distancing and restrictions on travel worldwide, is there a way to keep the intimacy alive between artists and their audiences in a way that doesn’t compromise the work? Join
Burning Questions: Is There Still Hope for Integrity and Intimacy in Online Performance? Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Eisner Winner Erica Eng; Pinoy rap and Duterte Read More »
While the pandemic has resulted in losses of jobs in the arts, less has been said about the fate of craftsmen, artisans and masters of intangible heritage and traditional arts. Artists Khin Maung Htwe (Myanmar), Alena Murang (Malaysia) and Jacob Boehme (Australia) will share their experiences in activating tradition and heritage in their work, and
Burning Questions: Traditional Arts: The Forgotten COVID Casualty? Read More »
Using technology in performance isn’t new, but COVID-19 has forced more artists to explore the digital medium, dealing with lag, latency and liveness while rethinking audience engagement and accessibility. Are we witnessing a new renaissance in the performing arts or an undoing? Is digitalisation just a boogeyman in place of a more difficult conversation? Join
Burning Questions: Tech in Performance: The Great Leveller or The Great Unequaliser? Read More »
As ArtsEquator’s theatre podcast returns since the start of the pandemic, Nabilah Said, Matthew Lyon and Naeem Kapadia appropriately discuss two recent Singapore productions created for digital platform Zoom – Murder at Mandai Camp by Sight Lines Entertainment and Fat Kids Are Harder to Kidnap on Zoom by How Drama. Murder at Mandai Camp ran from
Podcast 80: Murder at Mandai Camp And Fat Kids Read More »
Artist Sam Lo gained notoriety in 2012 after getting arrested for stencilling the phrase ‘My Grandfather Road’ on a public road. The incident was highly publicised, leading to debates about the line between vandalism and creative expression. Now, eight years later, Sam is featured in a micro-documentary, produced by online visual magazine Not Safe For TV,
Singapore Street Art: The Legal Rebels (Part 2) Read More »
ArtsEquator Lobang is a list of available open calls, job postings and other opportunities open to people from Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Lobang”, a Malay word for “hole”, is used in Singlish as a shorthand for an opportunity, valuable contact or a tip. Scroll down or click for easier access. Info & Resources | Open
Open Calls and Opportunities: July 2020 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
By Jocelyn Chng (1,800 words, 4-minute read) When I accepted the opportunity to write this piece on Purⓔ《纯ⓔ》, I did it feeling a bit like a shipwreck survivor re-approaching water for the first time. As someone who was already struggling to make sense of my triple roles as an artist, audience member and reviewer in
Purⓔ《纯ⓔ》: How do we talk about Art Form X? Read More »
INTRODUCTION TO REVIEWING BOOKS by Kathy Rowland Course Synopsis: This introductory course will teach you how to think critically and review a book, by drawing on both techniques of literary analysis and criticism writing. The course will examine the various contexts of the book being reviewed, as well as the multiple platforms upon which the
[Online Course] ArtsEquator Introduction to Reviewing Books Read More »
INTRODUCTION TO REVIEWING THEATRE by Nabilah Said Course Synopsis: This introductory course will teach you how to write and think critically about a show, from doing research, to watching, preparing to write and finally, writing and editing. By examining the various contexts in which a play resides as well as its performance languages vis-a-vis the audience,
[Online Course] ArtsEquator Introduction to Reviewing Theatre Read More »
Applied theatre practitioner Grace Lee-Khoo shares about the work of disability-led arts company Access Path Productions, which she founded in 2018. The company works towards creating a more participative arts scene with the involvement of Deaf and disabled artists in Singapore. Grace talks about the ethos of their work, and how society can be less
The working processes of artists: Grace Lee-Khoo Read More »
SOURCE X Audible Lands is a film and music programme done in collaboration by The Observatory and filmmaker Eric Lee. The name “SOURCE” comes from an existing programme organised by The Observatory. Commissioned for the Singapore International Festival of the Arts 2020, the initial idea for SOURCE X Audible Lands was to present a short
SOURCE X Audible Lands: Spotlight on Singapore’s migrant musicians Read More »
INTRODUCTION TO REVIEWING DANCE by Chan Sze-Wei, Jocelyn Chng and Bernice Lee Course Synopsis: This introductory course offers tools and practical exercises for writing for dance and about dance. We will expand our vocabularies for describing and analysing movement, communicating the inspiration behind dance works, and capturing a sense of audience experience. The course will
[Online Course] ArtsEquator Introduction to Reviewing Dance Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Closure of Scala Theatre; Wayang Orang lives on Read More »
By Ke Weiliang (2,500 words, 8-minute read) Sunday, 7 June 2020 circa 1230 hrs I press the ‘play’ button on The Heart Comes to Mind for the first time. As per director Claire Wong’s suggestion, I grab my favourite drink – a bottle of Teh Botol Sosro, kurang manis -, plug in my earphones
Emotional asymptotes in Checkpoint Theatre’s The Heart Comes to Mind Read More »
In a matter of just months, the making, distribution and audiences’ experience of arts has undergone rapid changes. From abrupt cancellations of major festivals, to shuttering of galleries and theatres, new online avenues emerged to make and share arts. At the same time, COVID-19 has exposed the extreme precarity of the arts sector. As arts
ArtsEquator’s Burning Questions Read More »
