Media Invite
*UPDATES at the end of the post.
If you have got nocturnal kids who keep insisting they are not at all sleepy when it comes to bedtime, great news - there is a good reason to stay up late for these 2 next weekends when Singapore Night Festival 2015 returns to illuminate the city centre with a spectacular line-up of light art installations, glamourous acts and breath-taking street performances!
Back for the eighth year, the festival will be held over two weekends of 21 & 22 August, and 28 & 29 August 2013 (7pm to 2am). And even better - in celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday, this year's festival will see an exciting line-up that spans a vast area in the Bras Basah.Bugis Precinct, stretching from Armenian Street to Queen Street, and includes locations such as The Cathay, School of the Arts (SOTA), National Design Centre, Singapore Art Museum and the National Museum of Singapore!
With a deluge of performances to catch at this year's festival, here are my top picks for Singapore Night Festival 2015 that families with kids should never miss.
THE ANOOKI CELEBRATE SINGAPORE
BY DAVID PASSEGAND AND MOETU BATLLE (FRANCE)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 PM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Façade
Without a doubt, this is the THE cutest show in the whole festival's line-up so if you only have time to bring the kids to one performance, this will be it.
The Anooki (Anook and Nooki) are the world’s smallest Inuits. Watch these adorable characters come alive and run riot across the façade of the National Museum in a story specially created for the festival and Singapore’s Golden Jubilee. Dance and sing along to their irresistible tune and soak up their contagious energy!
The Anooki also won the coveted Trophée des Lumières (Light Trophy) in 2012 and 2014 Fete des Lumiere in France, where the audiences chose their favourite light artwork.
Each show lasts about 5 minutes and will be recurring at 7-minute intervals. I guarantee you that the kids will be clamouring to watch it again and again! Here's a sneak peek of what to expect.
ALCHEMY
BY STARLIGHT ALCHEMY (SINGAPORE)
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug (ENDED)
Time: 8:00 PM, 9:30 PM, 11:00 PM
Venue: Singapore Art Museum, Front Lawn
Catch the exhilarating journey of reconciliation between Apollo from the world of Ethereal Light and Nuri from the world of Eternal Flame, told through three 25-minute segments during the night. Starlight Alchemy’s spectacular showcase of its multi-disciplinary flow arts combines a variety of aerial and large custom-made fire props, as well as LED technology performance props.
THE GARDEN OF FIRE AND LIGHT
Titled the Net, the Helix and the Garden, these are Starlight Alchemy first-ever installations and you can see these installations from 23 to 29 August 2015; 7.30pm to 11pm (Sun - Thu) and 7.30pm to 2am (Fri & Sat).
SPARK!
BY WORLD BEATERS MUSIC LLP (UK)
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug (ENDED)
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.30 PM
Venue: School of the Arts (SOTA), SMU, Armenian Street, National Museum of Singapore
*ROVING PERFORMANCE BEGINS AT SOTA
School of the Arts (SOTA) Steps (7.30pm - 7.50pm)
Singapore Management University, Campus Green / Festival Village (8.30pm - 8.45pm)
Armenian Street (9.30pm - 9.50pm)
National Museum of Singapore (11.10pm - 11.30pm)
Five mysterious characters made of light and sound will take you on an immersive journey through the vibrant Bras Basah.Bugis precinct. These fascinating LED light drummers will interact with the audience, accompanied by high-impact drumming and exuberant music, beautiful lighting design, dynamic choreography and dazzling costumes.
LE DESIR ET LA MENACE
BY CEDRIC LE BORGNE (FRANCE)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 PM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Banyan Tree
Le Desir et la Menace is a collection of three bird wire sculptures perched on the branches of the National Museum’s majestic banyan tree, creating a magical atmosphere as you approach. The artist's work employs precise settings and lighting techniques to give his chicken wire sculptures life, and abolishes barriers to blend with the space around them.
DRAWN IN LIGHT
BY RALF WESTERHOF (NETHERLANDS)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 AM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Mainground
In 2014, Drawn In Light was declared the public favourite of the Amsterdam Light Festival. This 12-metre-wide installation is made from metal wires, hand-bent into the form of a typical Amsterdam-style canal building. The sculpture not only reflects light but also hovers and rotates above the ground, inviting visitor interaction.
AND SO THEY SAY
BY LOGUE, THE RAFFLES PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY & SHANG (SINGAPORE)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 PM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Concourse, Level 1 | National Design Centre, Design Advisory, Level 1 | SAM At 8Q Plaza | SOTA, West Plaza Steps
AND SO THEY SAY is a documentary project and installation that features an honest narrative on life constructed from interviews with 25 senior citizens. It gives an intimate glimpse into the legacy of Singapore’s pioneer generation through their memories, with wisdom and life lessons waiting to be discovered.
Through five installations located throughout the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct, this project focuses on the honesty of traditional oral storytelling. While sharing one’s story, the interviewee is encouraged to explore deep feelings in a safe space created by the documentarian. In the process, the shared narrative enriches both.
Inspired by the hand-crank film projector used in the early 1900s, each installation requires viewers to wind the projector crank, just like in the old days, to discover the stories. AND SO THEY SAY is a gentle reminder of the seniors in our lives who have built the foundation of the place we call home today.
A LITTLE NONYA'S DREAMS
BY BRANDON TAY (SINGAPORE), STÉPHANIE RONZON (FRANCE) AND FRED MULTIER (FRANCE)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 PM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, The Salon, Level 1
Watch The Little Nonya’s Dreams come to life through a pop-up projection mapping that appears as an “open book” in a dark room. Each of the girl’s dreams is told by a different animator, taking visitors to different landscapes and worlds as they follow her journey.
PIXELS WAVE 2015
BY MIGUEL CHEVALIER (FRANCE) WITH CAROLYN KAN AND DEPRESSION (SINGAPORE)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 PM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: National Design Centre, Atrium Level 1
Take flight on this giant light carpet inside the National Design Centre, featuring multi-coloured graphic scenes and geometric patterns that react to visitor movement and interaction. A collaboration between artist Miguel Chevalier and local designers Carolyn Kan and Depression, this new creative work utilises optical illusion to create the sensation of a shifting kaleidoscopic floor.
LUMA-CITY
BY NUS DIVISION INDUSTRIAL DESIGN (SINGAPORE)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 PM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, PLAY@National Museum of Singapore, PERFORM Room, Level 3
This popular installation at Children's Season 2015 is back! Light up the kids' imagination at Luma-City, an immersive play-space filled with toy vehicles that leave glowing trails as they are pushed around. Kids will be surprised by the luminescent trails that appear and gradually fade beneath their feet.
FIELDS IN BLOOM
BY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS (SINGAPORE)
Date: 21 Aug to 29 Aug
Time: 7.30 PM to 11.00 PM (Sun - Thu), 7.30 PM to 2.00 AM (Fri & Sat)
Venue: School of the Arts (SOTA), West Plaza Steps
This installation features a garden of blooming, glowing flowers in a spectrum of colours across a wide expanse of platform steps. Fields in Bloom seeks to inspire a sense of wonder and enchantment within a harsh concrete environment.
LIGHT UP THE WHEELIES
BY THE WHEELIES (SINGAPORE)
Date: 22 Aug, 29 Aug
Time: 8.15 PM, 10.15 PM (15 mins show)
Venue: SMU, Behind SMU School of Accountancy & School of Law
The Wheelies, Singapore's leading electric unicycle specialist and community will be showcasing an exciting performance of its maneuverability and advanced techniques in our beautifully lighted up wheelies!
GARDEN OF ANGELS – PERFORMANCE
BY THEATER TOL (BELGIUM)
Date: 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 9:00 PM, 11:00 PM (25 mins show)
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Front Lawn
*PARADE STARTING FROM ARMENIAN STREET: 28 & 29 Aug | 8pm (30 mins)
Inspired by the paintings of Marc Chagall, Theater Tol’s latest performance merges the realms of nature, people and fantasy into one. A vibrant parade starting from Armenian Street brings to life a surreal world of dancers, musicians, flowers and animals that take to the streets in revelry. The parade culminates at the National Museum of Singapore, with a spectacular aerial carousel of angels descending from the heavens and showering gifts over everyone.
MONUMENTAL MOONLIGHT TOURS
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 7:30 PM, 8:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 9:30 PM
Venue: Peranakan Museum, (Meeting points at Peranakan Museum & Singapore Art Museum)
At this year's Night Fest, explore Singapore’s National Monuments under the moonlight. Wander around the monuments with your torchlights as guides literally highlight the unique features of the monuments with their torches and share stories of these historic buildings. Do not miss this opportunity to be part of the FIRST night tours conducted by the Preservation of Sites and Monuments! Participants are strongly encouraged to bring torchlights for this tour.
Tour Duration: 1 hour
Fees: FREE! No pre-registration required; registration will be done on the spot, on a first-come, first-served basis. Limited to 30 participants per tour!
Meeting Points: 2 meeting points per time-slot (choose either one!)
Tour A - The Peranakan Museum (TPM) (near the car park). Look out for the “Monumental Moonlight Tours” sign. This tour will cover TPM, Armenian Church and CHIJMES.
Tour B - Singapore Art Museum (SAM) (near Dome café). Look out for the “Monumental Moonlight Tours” sign. This tour will cover SAM, Armenian Church and CHIJMES.
Also, making its first appearance at the Night Festival, House of Glamour, hosts an eclectic mix of ticketed local performances on Cathay Green for an intimate crowd.
For more information on the ticketed programmes, visit nightfest.sg/ticketed-programmes/programmes.
Hungry after all the performances? Head to the Festival Village at SMU, Campus Green (6pm to 2am) on 21, 22, 28 & 29 August 2015 and tuck into scrumptious culinary delights!
And while you are there, boogie to the tunes of accomplished buskers too! The stage at the Festival Village will be home to local buskers to strut their stuff and some of the local talents to be featured include music groups The Lost Hat, The Glad Stones, HubbaBubbas, The Lorong Boys and popular Malay singer-songwriter Awi Rafael.
As part of the Night Festival, the Singapore Philatelic Museum and Peranakan Museum will be opening their doors FREE to everyone after dark too!
Peranakan Museum
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 6.00 PM to 2.00 AM
Venue: Peranakan Museum
*Activites from 7pm - 11pm. More details HERE.
Singapore Philatelic Museum
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 7.00 PM to 12.00 AM
Venue: Singapore Philatelic Museum
With so many things to see and do, here's a handy map to keep track of all happenings for this year's festival!
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| Click to enlarge |
For a detailed listing of all programmes, download your free copy of the Singapore Night Festival 2015 booklet HERE.
Looks like the 2015 edition of the Singapore Night Festival is going to be a spectacular one!
UPDATE: After bringing the monkies down to the first night of Singapore Night Festival 2015, here are a few additional tips that I believe will come in handy for parents:
- The Night Festival is essentially divided into 5 zones:
Zone 1: National Museum of Singapore (Main festival zone)
Zone 2: Armenian Street (Edgy and experimental performances)
Zone 3: House of Glamour (Ticketed local performances at Cathay Green, opposite The Cathay)
Zone 4: Festival Village (SMU Campus grounds with local bands, buskers, flea market and food kiosks)
Zone 5: Fringes of Bras Basah.Bugis Precinct including Singapore Art Museum & Queen Street, National Design Centre, DECK, Waterloo Street and School of the Arts. (Artistic performances & Light installations)
- If you have limited time, stay at Zone 1 where the bulk of kid-friendly activities are. There are lots of activities happening within National Museum of Singapore too, so pop in for some air-conditioned comfort should it get too hot outside.
- The Festival Village (Zone 4) is directly opposite National Museum, which makes it an ideal location to pick up some food and drinks. There are also 'airmocks' (portable hammocks) and bean bags for the public to rest those weary legs. Musical performances happen regularly at the Festival Village stage too.
- One surprising light installation that had the monkies enchanted was the 'VERY WISHING EXHIBITION' at SMU University Square (Zone 4). Kids (and adults) are invited to form words that represent their dreams using colourful blinking lights on the ground.
A simple concept no doubt, but it occupied a huge chunk of our time at the festival.
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 8pm - 11pm
- 'THE ANOOKI CELEBRATE SINGAPORE' show will also be projected on weekdays as well, not only on the Night Festival nights. So if you are afraid that it may get too crowded, it makes sense to head down between 23 and 27 Aug 2015 (Sun to Thurs) to catch the show. Do note the timing is from 7.30pm to 11pm though.
- We parked at the SMU car park which charges $3 per entry after 6pm. The location is pretty central to the main bulk of the activities happening at the Night Festival.
Useful Information
Singapore Night Festival 2015
21, 22, 28 & 29 August 2015
7pm - 2am
Various locations in Bras Basah.Bugis Precinct
FREE Admission
Website: nightfest.sg
Stay updated at Bras Basah.Bugis' Facebook page.
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