Art Market for a cause

Call it art with a heart. At the upcoming Art Market @ North East, social service agency (SSA) beneficiaries will showcase their artistic talents and abilities at Our Tampines Hub’s Festive Walk East. The Art Market, which will be held from Oct 12 to 13, is organised by the North East Community Development Council (NECDC).

The event aims to create a platform for SSAs and their beneficiaries to showcase their work, display their skills and raise awareness of their causes. The SSAs include Ain Society, Bizlink Centre Singapore, Care Corner Singapore, Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS), Club HEAL, Friends of the Disabled Society, Metta Welfare Association, Singapore Anglican Community Services, Singapore Association of Mental Health (SAMH), The Singapore Cheshire Home and the TOUCH Centre for Independent Living.

Ms Latha Kutty, CPAS executive director said: “The art market is in October, which CPAS dedicates as World Cerebral Palsy Month. Through participating in this event, we hope to create awareness, where more people will learn about the condition.

“The sale of the artwork that is specially created by our trainees from the GROW art programme will be channelled back to funding the rehabilitative programme to benefit more clients with cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities.”

BUYING ART ONLINE, AND IN PERSON

The Art Market is also supported by e-commerce platform Shopee Singapore. Visitors who can’t make it to the Art Market over the weekend can show their support by purchasing SSA merchandise on Shopee’s app.

At the Art Market itself, booths will be run by the SSAs selling and promoting their beneficiaries’ handmade crafts. Some booths offer an option for customers to personalise their merchandise, such as having their names engraved on products. There will also be an activity area, where visitors can unleash their creativity to decorate coloured plywood tiles for Chingay 2020.

For those looking to decorate their walls, there will be an exhibition of 46 paintings by 25 artists from SSAs and NECDC programme beneficiaries. The paintings will be on display throughout the weekend.

A NEW OPENNESS TO DIFFERENCE

In recent years, Singaporeans have become more aware of the artistic skill and talent of those who are differently abled. For example, a dinosaur motif clutch designed by a Pathlight School student with autism became a hit after being carried to events by both Mdm Ho Ching and President Halimah Yacob.

Ms Latha feels that Singaporeans have become more welcoming of people with special needs.

She said: “We get support from organisations and individuals who have approached CPAS to find out more on how they can help. Organisations have reached out to their staff through their company events and have warmly welcomed our clients in various activities, such as outings and festive celebrations.”

Dr Radiah Salim, president of Club HEAL, believes that the stigma of mental illness still persists. “However, we are making progress in having conversations about the importance of mental health and the need for people with mental illnesses to seek professional help without shame.”

For Dr Salim, the Art Market @ North East will showcase artwork by Club HEAL’s clients and raise awareness of mental health. It will also “instil a sense of purpose and fulfilment within our clients through the expression of creativity and art”.

ART UNVEILING AT THE LAUNCH

Hosted by North East District Mayor Mr Desmond Choo, the Art Market @ North East launch will see Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr Heng Swee Keat as the guest of honour. Mr Heng and Mr Choo are both advisors to the Tampines Grassroots Organisations.

At the launch, Mr Heng will unveil a centrepiece created by Mr Gary Ang, a digital artist. Mr Ang’s work pieces together the various artworks created by the participating SSA beneficiaries and artists, signifying the integration of communities within the North East District.

The Art Market @ North East promises to be a lively and creative event for visitors – and an especially fulfilling one for artists and the SSAs that work with them.

The Art Market @ North East will be held on Oct 12 to 13, 10am to 7pm, at Our Tampines Hub, Festival Walk East.