Another Singapore Arts Center To Lose Its Space

Singapore’s nonprofit photography arts institution DECK announced on Facebook on September 2 that its current venue comprising 20 repurposed shipping containers in the Bras Basah Bugis arts precinct will be demolished in March 2021. DECK has launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance the construction of a new, permanent building in the same location. 

DECK has operated from 120A Prinsep Street since its opening in October 2014. According to its website, the temporary structure “has reached the end of its lifespan.” The current venue, established by registered charity Art Photography Centre Ltd. (APC), was also publicly crowdfunded. While APC, which also organizes the biannual Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF), receives government funding under the National Arts Council Arts Fund—a total of SGD 1.5 million (USD 1 million) shared across numerous artists and art companies in 2020—this only covers “part of DECK’s programming and manpower [sic] costs” and does not cover building or infrastructural costs, according to DECK. As a result, DECK has launched the #SAVEDECK Building Fund via crowdfunding platform Giving.sg, with every donated dollar to be doubled by the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth’s Cultural Matching Fund. From August 31 to time of writing, 24 donors have donated SGD 4,425 (USD 3,240) out of a goal of SGD 500,000 (USD 366,425).

The proposed finishing date for the new building is mid-2021. Plans include an expanded 360-square meter gallery space, a library and research center with a studio and a reading room, a media gallery with virtual reality (VR) capabilities, and a black box theater. 

This news follows a line of art venue closures in Singapore this year. In July, nonprofit theater group The Necessary Stage (TNS) revealed that it is withdrawing from its space at the Marine Parade Community Club due to renovations. Similarly, Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts center, The Substation, will also lose its NAC Arts Housing Scheme-sponsored space in July 2021 to renovation work. On August 20, the city-state’s major international contemporary art organization, NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore (NTU CCA) announced that it would no longer be able to operate its residency program and exhibition venue at the Gillman Barracks arts precinct beginning March 2021 due to a funding shortfall and financial restructuring. 

Fion Tse is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific. 

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