Street Art in Singapore? Really?
Singapore may not be the first City you think of when looking for wall murals and insta-worthy photographs, but it does have a thriving street art scene. You just need to know where to look for it.
This concrete jungle isn’t just filled with skyscrapers and in the past few years, many pieces have been commissioned proving that Singapore isn’t averse to street art, despite the City’s strict laws.
Looking for street art took us all over Singapore, from back streets to food courts, and we were surprised at the beauty we found.
After scouring the streets and alleys, Feet Do Travel share what we feel is some of the best street art in Singapore.
Singapore may not be the first City you think of when looking for wall murals and insta-worthy photographs, but it does have a thriving street art scene. You just need to know where to look for it.
This concrete jungle isn’t just filled with skyscrapers and in the past few years, many pieces have been commissioned proving that Singapore isn’t averse to street art, despite the City’s strict laws.
Looking for street art took us all over Singapore, from back streets to food courts, and we were surprised at the beauty we found.
After scouring the streets and alleys, Feet Do Travel share what we feel is some of the best street art in Singapore.
It is believed that the street art scene in Singapore began in the 1990’s. Back then, offenders were subjected to harsh punishment of $2,000 fine, up to three years’ jail time and up to eight cane strokes. However, this didn’t stop urban artists known as “the Singapore crew” from pursuing their talent, which is now all over, despite unsanctioned murals still subject to punishment.
To celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday in 2015, the nationwide SG50 project commissioned many pieces. The murals reflect Singapore’s past, present and future, celebrating how far this country has come as a nation.
I was seriously amazed at how much street art is around; we spent days seeking out the best and know we still missed a lot. To make our search easier, we used GPSmyCity to map out a walking tour for us.
Little India
MRT: Little India - Downton Line (Blue) and North East Line (Purple)
The biggest collection of street art is located in Little India, street names have been provided, it’s now up to you to find them.
To celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday in 2015, the nationwide SG50 project commissioned many pieces. The murals reflect Singapore’s past, present and future, celebrating how far this country has come as a nation.
I was seriously amazed at how much street art is around; we spent days seeking out the best and know we still missed a lot. To make our search easier, we used GPSmyCity to map out a walking tour for us.
Little India
MRT: Little India - Downton Line (Blue) and North East Line (Purple)
The biggest collection of street art is located in Little India, street names have been provided, it’s now up to you to find them.
- Race Course Road
- Chander Road
- Belilos Lane
- Veerasamy Road
- Buffalo Road
- Baboo Lane
- Hindoo Road
- Rowell Road
A Ride Through Race Course Road - A Community Art Project by Jaxton Su
#RacecourseSG
Location: 74 Race Course Road
This project depicts the history of this area, which used to have a racecourse between 1842 – 1927. On non-race days, the area doubled as a golf course, grazing pasture and rifle range. The Indian Community were owners of cattle farms, rattan processing houses and pineapple factories.
This quirky mural is painted on the walls of the juice bar adjacent to Race Course Road.
Jasmine of the City by Nadiah Alsagoff - Part of the ArtWalk Little India Project
Location:: 27 Chander Road
Just around the corner and close to Race Course Road is this large mural. The pretty jasmine flowers are still largely intact, but the man planting flowers is often obscured by vehicles parked here.
Traditional Trades of Little India by Psyfool - Part of ArtWalk Little India
#artwalklittleindia
Location: Belilios Lane
This beautifully colourful mural can be found on Belilos Lane, but this isn't the only piece of art here. Make sure you look on the walls of the restaurants next to this street art.
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A Sailor’s Guide to Little India – Part of ArtWalk Little India (#artwalklittleindia)
Location: near Veerasamy Road
This piece pays tribute to the rich Indian culture. It uses cultural landmarks and historical buildings to illustrate an imaginary map.
Festival by Izzad Radzali – Part of ArtWalk Little India (#artwalklittleindia)
Location: 1 Hindoo Road (on a narrow road by Serangoon Road)
The next two murals are next to one another. I appreciate the bright colours of "Festival" but
Location: 1 Hindoo Road (on a narrow road by Serangoon Road)
The next two murals are next to one another. I appreciate the bright colours of "Festival" but
Daily Delivery by Jaba – Part of ArtWalk Little India (#artwalklittleindia)
Location: Baboo Lane, 212 Serangoon Road
Location: Baboo Lane, 212 Serangoon Road
Light in Little India by Elmac
Location: 107 Rowell Road (Alleyway connecting Rowell Road and Desker Road)
Location: 107 Rowell Road (Alleyway connecting Rowell Road and Desker Road)
One of the most iconic pieces you will see in Singapore
The #artwalklittleindia project is an annual event. Here are two more locations of street art, but this list will continue to grow every year.
67 Kerbau Road – Cattleland2.0 - brightly coloured buffalos
11 Hindoo Road – portrait of Tamil film star Rajinikanth
67 Kerbau Road – Cattleland2.0 - brightly coloured buffalos
11 Hindoo Road – portrait of Tamil film star Rajinikanth
Boy dangling money by Ernest Zacharevic’s
Location: 12 Perak Road, next to Perak Hotel
Nearest MRT: Bugis
This Lithuanian artist is most famous for his work in Penang, but he also has a few pieces in Singapore.
Location: 12 Perak Road, next to Perak Hotel
Nearest MRT: Bugis
This Lithuanian artist is most famous for his work in Penang, but he also has a few pieces in Singapore.
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Other Ernest Zacharevic’s pieces can be found at the following locations: Intersection of Joo Chiat Terrace and Everitt Road - Jousting Partners MRT: Eunos Victoria Street - between Arab Street and Jalan Sultan: Children Freewheeling in supermarket carts Children somersaulting from boxes, Child peering out of window Girl caressing a lion cub MRT: Lavender or Bugis |
50 Bridges Project – Part of SG50
Location: Tekka Centre, Buffalo Road
To commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Australia, the Australian High Commission embarked on an art and community project entitled “50 Bridges”. Local artists painted 50 murals across Singapore, and a series of six can be seen on the underground car park pillars. This is part of the SG50 Project celebrating Singapore’s 50th birthday in 2015.
Tip: There is a fantastic food court located here (Tekka Centre), so if you visit around lunch time, stop to enjoy a cheap and tasty meal.
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Chinatown
MRT: Chinatown - Downton Line (Blue) and North East Line (Purple)
Chinatown also has a lot of street art, but thankfully it’s less spread out. Start near the Chinatown Complex on Smith Street, this huge hawker centre has plenty of murals on the pillars and walls.
Letter writer by Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong
Location: 336 Smith Street
This mural is part of a collection of 45 (and counting) pieces all over the City. Check out www.yipyc.com/ycs-mural-locations for the remaining locations, and inside information about each piece from the artist.
MRT: Chinatown - Downton Line (Blue) and North East Line (Purple)
Chinatown also has a lot of street art, but thankfully it’s less spread out. Start near the Chinatown Complex on Smith Street, this huge hawker centre has plenty of murals on the pillars and walls.
- Chinatown Complex, including Smith Street
- Banda Road
- Ann Siang Hill
- Amoy Street
Letter writer by Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong
Location: 336 Smith Street
This mural is part of a collection of 45 (and counting) pieces all over the City. Check out www.yipyc.com/ycs-mural-locations for the remaining locations, and inside information about each piece from the artist.
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Banda Street – Part of SG50
The “Colouring Banda Street” project was spearheaded by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Its aim was to brighten up the old housing estate area with colourful murals.
The “Colouring Banda Street” project was spearheaded by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Its aim was to brighten up the old housing estate area with colourful murals.
“Reflections of Past, Present and Future”
Samsui Women and Skylines represents Singapore’s Past and present, and their unification is the future.
Samsui Women and Skylines represents Singapore’s Past and present, and their unification is the future.
Reflections of Past, Present and Future
“Welcome to our World” - Samsui women and skylines. Samui women and the coolies contributed to Singapore’s development between 1920-1940. It is believed the word "coolie" derived from the Hindu term Kuli, the name of a native tribe in India, and also means "hire" in Tamil, the native language of the Tamil people from India. The word coolies is used to describe labourers from Asia, especially Indian and Chinese.
“Welcome to our World” - Samsui women and skylines. Samui women and the coolies contributed to Singapore’s development between 1920-1940. It is believed the word "coolie" derived from the Hindu term Kuli, the name of a native tribe in India, and also means "hire" in Tamil, the native language of the Tamil people from India. The word coolies is used to describe labourers from Asia, especially Indian and Chinese.
Welcome to our World
Ann Siang Hill, next to The Coconut Club
Walking away from Chinatown, head towards the hipster area Ann Siang Hill. Here you will find a mural that changes every Chinese New Year, we visited 2018, the year of the dog, in 2017 there was a rooster.
Tip: If you are thirsty and fancy a drink, pop to the roof of Oxwell and Co Pub next door for a view of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Walking away from Chinatown, head towards the hipster area Ann Siang Hill. Here you will find a mural that changes every Chinese New Year, we visited 2018, the year of the dog, in 2017 there was a rooster.
Tip: If you are thirsty and fancy a drink, pop to the roof of Oxwell and Co Pub next door for a view of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
The Chinese Year of the Dog - this mural changes every year
The Chinese New Year animals ready for the future
Amoy Street
There are a number of pieces in this area, starting with the 40m long Thian Hock Keng mural painted by Yip Yew Chong.
This huge piece entitled “Singapore River” brings together the old and new of Singapore. It pays tribute to centuries of hard work and sacrifice by Hokkien migrant forefathers, which contributed to modern day Singapore.
There are a number of pieces in this area, starting with the 40m long Thian Hock Keng mural painted by Yip Yew Chong.
This huge piece entitled “Singapore River” brings together the old and new of Singapore. It pays tribute to centuries of hard work and sacrifice by Hokkien migrant forefathers, which contributed to modern day Singapore.
Amoy Street Food Court – Part of SG50
Location: 7 Maxwell Road
Inside Amoy Street Food Court there are five murals at the back of the eating area, all painted by Ceno2 and students from the Anglo-Chinese School. I have enclose three of my favourites.
Location: 7 Maxwell Road
Inside Amoy Street Food Court there are five murals at the back of the eating area, all painted by Ceno2 and students from the Anglo-Chinese School. I have enclose three of my favourites.
Haji Lane
Nearest MTR: Bugis - East West Line (Green) or Downton Line (Blue)
A small road with hipster cafés and quirky shops, this area is teeming with Street Art. Almost every single wall, alleyway and shop is decorated with an eclectic array of street art by local and international names. This area is always packed with visitors, but the colourful murals and walls are definitely worth the trip.
Nearest MTR: Bugis - East West Line (Green) or Downton Line (Blue)
A small road with hipster cafés and quirky shops, this area is teeming with Street Art. Almost every single wall, alleyway and shop is decorated with an eclectic array of street art by local and international names. This area is always packed with visitors, but the colourful murals and walls are definitely worth the trip.
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Singapore history – Part of SG50 Project
There are a couple of murals depicting Singapore’s history. If you are walking from Clarke Quay towards Merlion Park, you will see the following pieces.
Clarke Quay Mural - Kala Roseane was commissioned to paint this historical mural.
This area was named after Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Clarke (second Governor of Singapore in 1873-1875).
Location: River Valley Road, near the G-MAX Revese Bungy Kiosk
MRT: Clarke Quay - North East Line (Purple)
Elgin Bridge Underpass at the Singapore River. Designed by the Raffles Design Institute, they focus on Singapore's birth. Murals are painted all along the underpass walls. Admittedly it could be said that to call it “street art” is a little tenuous, however I enjoyed the history of these pieces.
As you can see, there are many pieces of street art in Singapore, and this list is always changing. Some pieces disappear, yet other pieces are brand new. I wish we had time to continue to explore more of the back streets to seek out work we didn’t have time to find. If we return to Singapore again, we will definitely continue with our hunt for the best street art!
Getting to Singapore by Train
If you are travelling to Singapore by train, we recommend you check the schedule and book tickets ahead of time with 12Go Asia website. If you plan to continue travelling around Asia, you can also use this website to check bus and boat schedules, as well as booking in advance which saves you time and hassle.
How to travel from Changi Airport to your accommodation
MRT:(Mass Rapid Transit) is fast, clean, cheap, reliable and the most efficient way of travelling around Singapore. It’s also quiet; no loud music, no chattering, most people wear headphones, nearly everyone is looking at their mobile/cell phone.
If you are here for a few days, it’s worth buying an EZ Link card at the station for $12. The card costs $5 which is pre-loaded with $7, however each fare is discounted from a single ticket so you will save money in the long run. Top up easily at any station when required. The average cost of a single ticket is $1.30-$2.50.
Taxi: Taxis from the airport are metered, fares costs around SG$20 - 35 depending on your destination, and what time of day you travel.
Grab: You can download the Grab App and use it to book taxis online, however they are not always cheaper than the City taxis. Grab was born in Singapore back in 2012, but is now used in eight South East Asian countries.
Getting to Singapore by Train
If you are travelling to Singapore by train, we recommend you check the schedule and book tickets ahead of time with 12Go Asia website. If you plan to continue travelling around Asia, you can also use this website to check bus and boat schedules, as well as booking in advance which saves you time and hassle.
How to travel from Changi Airport to your accommodation
MRT:(Mass Rapid Transit) is fast, clean, cheap, reliable and the most efficient way of travelling around Singapore. It’s also quiet; no loud music, no chattering, most people wear headphones, nearly everyone is looking at their mobile/cell phone.
If you are here for a few days, it’s worth buying an EZ Link card at the station for $12. The card costs $5 which is pre-loaded with $7, however each fare is discounted from a single ticket so you will save money in the long run. Top up easily at any station when required. The average cost of a single ticket is $1.30-$2.50.
Taxi: Taxis from the airport are metered, fares costs around SG$20 - 35 depending on your destination, and what time of day you travel.
Grab: You can download the Grab App and use it to book taxis online, however they are not always cheaper than the City taxis. Grab was born in Singapore back in 2012, but is now used in eight South East Asian countries.
The Singapore MRT is the easiest way of travelling around the City
Getting around Singapore
MRT: As already mentioned above.
Bike share/bike hire: It’s easy to hire a bike which is done via an app, but you will need internet. Buy a data card (passport is needed to register), download the app, scan the QR code on the bike then cycle away. When you are finished, park up in any designated parking area. Cost is approx. $0.50 for 20 minutes.
Ofo - www.ofo.com/sg/en
Mobike - www.mobike.com/sg
O Bike - www.o.bike
Where to stay in Singapore
Free: If you want to stay for free in Singapore, check out Couchsurfing! There are a few people you can contact, and Couchsurfing is a fantastic way of getting to know Singapore like a local.
Budget: If Couchsurfing isn't for you and you are on a budget, we stayed in Hotel 81 Premiere Star in Geylang which is part of a chain. The nearest MRT is Aljunied.
Blow the budget: Three luxury hotels overlook the river, Marina Bay Sands, Mandarin Oriental and The Fullerton Hotel.
Singapore Facts
MRT: As already mentioned above.
Bike share/bike hire: It’s easy to hire a bike which is done via an app, but you will need internet. Buy a data card (passport is needed to register), download the app, scan the QR code on the bike then cycle away. When you are finished, park up in any designated parking area. Cost is approx. $0.50 for 20 minutes.
Ofo - www.ofo.com/sg/en
Mobike - www.mobike.com/sg
O Bike - www.o.bike
Where to stay in Singapore
Free: If you want to stay for free in Singapore, check out Couchsurfing! There are a few people you can contact, and Couchsurfing is a fantastic way of getting to know Singapore like a local.
Budget: If Couchsurfing isn't for you and you are on a budget, we stayed in Hotel 81 Premiere Star in Geylang which is part of a chain. The nearest MRT is Aljunied.
Blow the budget: Three luxury hotels overlook the river, Marina Bay Sands, Mandarin Oriental and The Fullerton Hotel.
Singapore Facts
- Singapore was voted the safest City in the world in 2018.
- Officially known as the Republic of Singapore, it is both a city and country.
- Singapore is a year round destination, with an average temperate of 27°C (81°F). Peak times are November - January, June and July.
- It is one of only three City-States in the world, the other two being The Vatican City and Monaco.
- There are 63 smaller islands around Singapore.
- The currency is Singapore dollar.
- Although English is widely spoken, there are four other languages, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and unofficially Singlish, a creole which is a mixture of Singapore’s four official languages, and is something the Government wish to phase out.
- The name Singapore comes from the Malay words “Singa” for lion and “Pura” for City
- Singapore was once a British Colony. In 1819 Lieutenant General Sir Stamford Raffles came to the City State to establish a trading station which shaped modern day Singapore.
- Plug sockets are the same as UK – 3 pinned.
- Singapore in the Guinness World Records for many things, including the biggest game of pass the parcel, longest human domino chain, and the most number of people participating in a line dance (11,967).
- Singaporeans are polite people thanks to a Government backed campaign teaching ethics and mannerisms since 1970.
- The five stars in the national flag represent democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. Red signifies brotherhood, white represents purity.
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