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| “Stories of Serangoon,” a life-sized open-book installation crafted by residents to mark SG60 at this year’s Serangoon PAssionArts Festival. The vibrant display blends history, community pride, and everyday icons, telling the story of Serangoon through the eyes of those who call it home. (Photo credits: People’s Association – PAssionArts.) |
I’ve been meaning to share this since opening weekend, but hey, the beauty of PAssionArts Festival 2025 is that it’s still very much alive across our heartlands! With so many heartwarming, creative, and uniquely Singaporean moments still unfolding, I thought now’s the perfect time to catch you up. The festival runs all the way till September, so there’s still plenty of time to explore what’s blooming in your own neighbourhood. Here’s a look at some of the highlights so far…
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| Radin Mas residents posing alongside their latest art installation, “Neighbours in Bloom”, where 30 community-crafted mosaic butterflies take flight. Created as part of the PAssionArts Festival 2025, the butterflies in the art installation were co-created by Radin Mas residents and Radin Mas primary school students, celebrating the neighbourhood's symbol of transformation for SG60. (Photo credits: People’s Association – PAssionArts.) |
A Garden of Butterflies in Radin Mas
The festival fluttered to life on 12 July at Radin Mas, where the community quite literally turned their love for the neighbourhood into art with a stunning wall of giant mosaic butterflies, each one bursting with colour and meaning.
But these weren’t just decorative pieces. Every butterfly was thoughtfully designed and hand-crafted by residents and students from Radin Mas Primary School. The butterfly has long been a symbol of the Radin Mas spirit - representing transformation, growth, and hope, making it the perfect tribute for this year’s SG60 celebrations.
The pride was fluttering in the air with kids pointing out their creations, families snapping photos, neighbours chatting and smiling as they recognised each other’s work. It wasn’t just an art piece; it felt like a heartfelt love letter to the place they all call home.
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The centrepiece installation at Punggol Coast & Punggol West PAssionArts Festival 2025 was brought to life by 40 residents and artist Lim Jia Ren, who came together over two pre-festival workshops to draw, paint, and assemble the elements onto the interactive Punggol map. (Photo credits: People’s Association – PAssionArts.) |
Punggol’s Story, Told By Its People
Over at Punggol Coast and Punggol West - One Punggol on 13 July, another kind of magic unfolded. Residents came together to build a giant, interactive storybook. As a colourful, handcrafted map of Punggol’s past and present: wooden cut-outs of kampung chickens and otters, cheeky monkeys, the iconic Lorong Halus bridge, and even HDB blocks sitting beside mangroves and waterfront parks. All lovingly painted and assembled by the community during two hands-on workshops with local artist Lim Jia Ren.
The best part? It’s multi-sensory! Push a button and you’ll hear cats meowing, birds calling, and even the soft rush of water, plus LED lights that trace Punggol’s famous waterways. It’s a living, glowing reminder that this town is constantly evolving, yet deeply rooted in memory.
And because it’s a community piece, residents of all ages got to decorate the storybook cover too, using leaf motifs that added a personal touch to every page.
Keat Hong’s Mirror of Youth
And over in Keat Hong, youth voices took centre stage with an installation called Mirror Me - a vibrant and reflective piece that’s all about identity, self-expression, and how we see ourselves within our community.
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Serangoon residents view the “Stories of Serangoon” installation. The pop-up map inspired families to explore the neighbourhood’s landmarks together. (Photo credits: People’s Association – PAssionArts.) |
New Chapter Unfolds in Serangoon
On 19 July, Serangoon unveiled something truly special - a life-sized, open-book art installation that beautifully captures the neighbourhood’s rich past and vibrant present. Called “Stories of Serangoon”, the giant pop-up pages rise with 3D landmarks that many longtime residents will instantly recognise: the iconic Serangoon Clock Tower, Serangoon Stadium, and the Community Club, all lovingly brought to life in vivid detail.
One standout detail? A bold, playful cat nestled in the artwork, which is a charming nod to Serangoon’s pet-friendly character, where animal lovers, pet shops, and vet clinics are part of the everyday landscape. It’s those little touches that make the piece feel deeply personal and rooted in real community life. Lining the artwork are flowers crafted from painted plastic bottles, handmade by residents, a beautiful symbol of sustainability, shared effort, and collective renewal.
The installation was co-created by 20–30 residents in a pre-festival workshop led by local artist Amruthaa Kalaiselvan, who also calls Serangoon North home. For Amruthaa, this wasn’t just a project, it was a full-circle moment. It marked her first opportunity to create community art in the neighbourhood she grew up in, and that deep connection shines through in every detail.
To take things even further, a dedicated website has also been launched to gather personal stories from Serangoon residents, turning this art installation into a living, evolving archive of the neighbourhood’s heart and soul.
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| At Punggol Coast & Punggol West’s PAssionArts Festival 2025 at One Punggol, families add their personal creations to a vibrant 3D map. The hand-designed wooden cut-outs of chickens, otters, monkeys, and beloved landmarks illustrate Punggol’s journey from kampung to waterfront town. (Photo credits: People’s Association – PAssionArts.) |
There’s More to Come — In Your Neighbourhood Too!
These were just the first stops of PAssionArts Festival 2025, and they’ve truly set the tone for what’s to come. From now till September, you’ll find art popping up across more than 60 heartland communities - turning void decks, parks, and even playgrounds into open-air galleries filled with stories, colours, and creativity by you and your neighbours.
It’s all part of this year’s SG60 celebrations, and I can’t think of a better way to mark how far we’ve come as a nation, by spotlighting the gems right here in our own backyards.
If you haven’t explored your neighbourhood’s PAssionArts event yet, now’s the perfect time to do it. You might find an art trail near your block, a hands-on workshop for kids, or a photo-worthy installation you had no idea existed just around the corner.
📍 You can check out my earlier post with info on upcoming PAssionArts dates and locations here.
So go on, take a walk, bring a friend, or just soak in the colours and stories of your community. It’s SG60, heartland-style.
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