The power of art, public art in particular, to nurture and heal has also been amplified during the pandemic, when some individuals and communities have found themselves isolated.

Many landlords today recognise their role in placemaking and helping to meld space, art and people together so as to imbue the built environment with culture and heritage. And stakeholders stress that art’s value cannot simply be measured in financial terms, such as by project budgets and returns on investment.

These were some of the views of panellists who spoke at a roundtable discussion, titled Arts in the City, at the 2021 ULI Singapore Annual Conference, which was held both virtually and in-person on 3 March 2021.

“I would say that [people do] view art as an important and vital part of society; it helps us to celebrate, it helps us to commemorate, it helps us to remember,” said David Calkins, Regional Managing Principal (APME), Gensler, one of the speakers on the panel.

Relating that he once viewed murals in Belfast that chronicle Northern Ireland’s history of the conflict known as The Troubles, Calkins added that, “[public] art makes the experience of public places better, it can intensify that experience and it can make it more meaningful.”

Fellow panellist Chong Siak Ching, CEO of the National Gallery, cited the National Art Council of Singapore’s Population Survey of the Arts 2019, the results of which were shared last year, where a majority of respondents shared a belief in art and its positive impact on people’s lives.

Between 75 and 90 percent of them said that the arts promoted better understanding of different cultures and backgrounds, that they improve quality of life and that they bring people closer as a community.

“[This shows that] Singaporeans see the importance of art in bringing us together as a people,” she said. “The survey also showed that accessibility of art will also influence people’s willingness to participate [in arts events] and therefore appreciate art.

Citing the example of the 2015 celebrations of the country’s 50th anniversary as a nation, which saw strong communal participation in public arts events, Ms Chong noted the important role that landlords and developers have in promoting arts participation.

“In our own neighbourhoods, whatever we can do to just bring art into spaces that make it more accessible, this will help to enliven not just the space, but also [enrich] the people who encounter the art,” she said.

Another setting in which members of the public can get in touch with art is in retail, examples of which were presented by Capitaland Retail’s Managing Director, Chris Chong, who highlighted some developments that emphasise art and its value in their plans.

“We always would like retail and art to be a creative intersection,” said Mr Chong, who referred to Capitaland’s Funan mall, which recently hosted artist-and-brand collaborations as part of Singapore Art Week 2021, as an example.

“We did these ‘Creative Unions’ where we involved international brands, and they were really very quick [to say yes] and very happy to work with local artists, to come up with art and product designs that were very local,” he added.

“What’s also interesting is that the brands shared these designs in other regions, such as Europe, so this kind of cross-cultural exchange is something very organic and, at the same time, spontaneous and can mark the start of continuing collaborations,” said Mr Chong.

National Gallery’s Ms Chong, who was previously President and CEO of Ascendas, has overseen urban art events such as her current organisation’s annual Light to Night Festival.

She shared Mr Chong’s opinion that providing a public platform for art creation, including spontaneous expression, is desirable. “I think art, sometimes, shouldn’t be overly curated; we must encourage as much organic and spontaneous expression as possible,” she said.

“Of course, if you [as a landlord or developer] are doing it within your space, it’s very much your own decision. But if we want to share art with a much wider audience, I would suggest identifying appropriate [partnerships] … with both private and public institutions.”

This, she added, could involve working with schools or with urban precincts, such as Kampong Glam in Singapore, where some shophouse owners have commissioned artists and offered them a “canvas” by way of wall space for murals and other artwork.

Capitaland’s Mr Chong shared that some of his company’s malls have also followed suit in providing platforms within their premises to encourage free and impromptu artistic expression.

“Once, we placed a piano in an atrium and, based on their mood and spontaneity, some people would start to play it and have fun. We did this some time ago during Christmas and it was very well received,” he said.

Gensler’s Calkins, who shared about the AT&T Discovery District in Dallas, Texas, in his presentation, reflected about how art can arise from a multinational firm, in this case AT&T, partnering with Gensler to reimagine its corporate headquarters, located in a new city.

Today, the District includes multiple platforms within its space that are conducive not only for denizens of the city to gather for food and leisure, but also to appreciate visual art elements built into the location and performing arts that can use the on-site venues.

“This was really about a company reaching out to a city and saying, ‘This is the place that we’re creating for you, come and be happy, have great experiences, learn more about us, but also learn more about who you are, too,” he said. “Art in the city has the capability to do that.”

Calkins also revealed that Gensler is developing something called the Cities Experience Index, to delve into how people feel about being in a city, such as what contributes to their sense of happiness and gratification.

“I think a lot of that has got to be [related to] art,” he said.

DP Architects’ CEO, Seah Chee Huang, moderated the session and closed proceedings with his observation of the lively discussion.

“We recognise unanimously the immense capacity for art to do great things. We hear that art enhances the values of real estate … but also that it enriches experiences, and reinforces identity and also a sense of cohesion.

“Very importantly, [arts in the city] heals and connects, and brings diverse communities together to co-create a more positive future, and a better new reality.”