Introduction

Singapore has won numerous accolades and garnered global attention for its physical infrastructure and iconic architecture. Despite these achievements, its government has recognized that certain parts of the city still lack a certain human vitality and buzz. Additionally, like other post-industrial cities, the production of a positive urban experience has been identified as that critical competitive advantage that would differentiate Singapore from other cities. Consequently, the Singapore government adopted a strategy called ‘place management’ in 2008 to inject ‘heart and soul’ into the city, and deliver a liveable, globally competitive and amenity-rich urban environment for its increasingly educated and upper middle-class population.

Currently, place management ideas are being used to rejuvenate areas within Singapore's city centre, including the Civic District, Marina Bay and Bras Basah.Bugis precincts. Beyond aesthetic improvements such as restoring historic buildings, greening the streets and widening pavements, place management efforts have also harnessed arts and culture to animate public spaces. For instance, public art installations, arts-centred night festivals and concerts have been staged across Singapore's downtown precincts, livening up public spaces there. Coexisting alongside these state-driven initiatives are artist-led strategies in which local arts practitioners and organizations have been activating latent and/or under-utilized spaces through site-specific performances, pop-up events and temporary takeovers.

This chapter critically examines the nature, extent and implications of the emergence of place management as a place governance strategy for artistic and cultural production in Singapore. More specifically, I am interested in the stakes, tensions and implications of the role played by artists and the arts in rejuvenating urban spaces in Singapore.