MEDIA RELEASE - SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM AIMS TO TRANSFORM SINGAPORE INTO AN OPEN-AIR MUSEUM WITH THE EVERYDAY MUSEUM

Sep 22, 2026

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Singapore Art Museum (SAM) officially launched The Everyday Museum, a long-term public art initiative bringing commissioned artworks into everyday communal spaces across Singapore. Guided by a “disappearing museum” vision, SAM will embed site-specific interventions into daily locations starting from Tanjong Pagar, expanding public engagement through art trails, discursive programmes, live events, and interactive online resources. The initiative supports local and international artists to experiment with new mediums and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

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The Everyday Museum launch

Vision of a “disappearing museum”

Programming with and for communities

Commissions expanding across districts

Spotlight: Wayang Spaceship by Ming Wong

MEDIA RELEASE SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM AIMS TO TRANSFORM SINGAPORE INTO AN OPEN-AIR MUSEUM WITH THE EVERYDAY MUSEUM SAM’s long-term public art initiative will bring commissioned artworks into lived, communal spaces, expanding the possibilities and potential of art in our society. Installation view of Ming Wong's 'Wayang Spaceship', as part of SAM's The Everyday Museum, 2022; image courtesy of Singapore Art Museum. Singapore, 13 July 2022 – Singapore Art Museum (SAM) officially launched The Everyday Museum, the museum’s long-term public art initiative presenting art projects and programmes across Singapore to inspire interest and curiosity in art. In line with its vision of being a“disappearing museum”, SAM will bring artistic interventions into everyday spaces, transforming them into cultural nodes with site-specific artworks by local and international artists. Beginning from the Tanjong Pagar district, The Everyday Museum will support artistic development and production, while providing varied programming for the public to deepen their engagement of art. “As a contemporary art institution with an intrinsic role in the local and Southeast Asian art scene, SAM has been bringing art into everyday spaces across Singapore as part of our new direction,”says Eugene Tan, Director of SAM. “The Everyday Museum embodies SAM’s vision of turning every space into a cultural space, where art encounters in seemingly familiar spaces activate curiosity and imagination , as well as catalyse social interactions and conversations among communities. Our ambition is to have art woven into the fabric of daily life by engaging the publics where they reside , through site-specific works and programmes that offer new perspectives on places, people, and society.” Art as a way of life with The Everyday Museum Following the announcement of its new strategic direction in 2021, SAM has been presenting art in unexpected spaces around Singapore while actively collaborating with partners and communities to infuse art into the everyday. These include artworks on the SAM hoardings, roving exhibitions in public libraries, art presentations across other spaces such as Science Centre Singapore, as well as SAM’s new space at Tanjong Pagar Distripark. With The Everyday Museum, SAM will continue bringing art into shared spaces throughout Singapore and become a key driver of public art; reaffirming the museum’s commitment to demonstrate the vital role of art in society. The commissions and art programming for The Everyday Museum will be made for and alongside communities, with a focus on making art accessible to everyone. Beyond bringing vibrancy and creativity into everyday life, the initiative will allow audiences across Singapore to form new experiences of places, reconsider spatial and environmental constructions, while facilitating conversations and the spirit of collectiveness. It will also provide local and international artists with a platform to create works in the public sphere, experiment with new mediums at a different scale, and forge interdisciplinary collaborations that connect different sectors and interest groups. Ong Puay Khim, Deputy Director of Collections and Public Art at SAM, adds, “The Everyday Museum will be an opportunity for SAM to expand the possibilities of public art. By working with artists to reimagine lived experiences , we hope to build communities and inspire new ways of engaging with our lives and society through art. With the aim of creating cultural spaces for and with the community, an array of site-and context-responsive programming will invite perspectives from our publics in various stages of the creation process. This content will be offered in a variety of formats, from art trails and discursive programmes to live events and interactive online resources.” Starting with the Tanjong Pagar district, where two commissions were rolled out earlier this year, The Everyday Museum will be launching a series of site

FAQs

What is The Everyday Museum launched by SAM intended to do?

It is SAM’s long-term public art initiative that presents art projects and programmes across Singapore, aiming to inspire interest and curiosity in art by bringing commissioned works into everyday communal spaces.

How does SAM describe its “disappearing museum” vision?

SAM plans to bring artistic interventions into everyday spaces, transforming them into cultural nodes through site-specific artworks and programmes that activate curiosity, imagination, and social interaction.

What kinds of activities and formats will The Everyday Museum include?

The initiative will offer site- and context-responsive programming in varied formats, including art trails, discursive programmes, live events, and interactive online resources.

Sep 22, 2026

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