Can a rojak be a rojak if you eat the peanut sauce, followed by tempeh,
then everything else individually? Imagine if these ingredients existed
side-by-side but never really blended together to create that iconic
local flavour. That is a picture of racial tolerance, not acceptance. In
2017, PM Lee remarked that Singapore is not at an “ideal state of
accepting people of a different race while DPM Heng delivered in a
formal dialogue that his vision was for Singapore to turn “its racial
and religious diversity into a source of strength and advantage“ (Koh,
2019) If Singapore wishes to enjoy greater racial inclusivity, this is
the direction it needs to move toward. Beyond legislature like the HDB
Ethnic Integration Policy, more must be done to create an identity that
encapsulates a diversity that binds us as a multicultural Singapore.
Creative placemaking is an urban development concept that
proposes the revitalisation of spaces through the arts; Arts For All SG
coined it as a process of positively impacting the community through a
symbiotic relationship between arts, space and people (Trivic et al.,
2019).
Recognising the importance of infusing the
arts to local communities, agencies like the Ministry of Culture,
Community & Youth and the National Arts Council have been orienting
more cultural initiatives towards residential neighbourhoods.
Establishing ‘Arts and Culture Nodes’ through initiatives like Arts in your Neighbourhood across
the island provide opportunities for residents to engage with the arts,
creating a buzz within urban spaces. These initiatives increase social
engagement and cultivate an attachment to the neighbourhood. Singapore’s
first residential art gallery in Taman Jurong from 2014 is now a
defining “visual landmark” (Trivic et al., 2017) in that neighbourhood,
with various co-created artworks by artists and residents displayed at
HDB void decks, hawker centres and schools. Residents have had heartfelt
recounts of these events being able to “[break] the ice between people
[regardless] of age” and “[bringing] the life back to [the community]”
(Trivic et al., 2017). These community artworks act as a “collective
anchor” (Trivic et al., 2017) for heartland residents, while promoting
intergenerational interactions amongst those who’ve participated in
their creation.