Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2020 | A Lineup That Will Make You Go "What If?"

Now in its seventh edition, the Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2020 will see a mix of visual art, alternative music, dance performances and skateboarding to get you pondering “What if?”.

The festival is set to pique your curiosity with its celebration of all things unconventional.

The Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2020 is back for its seventh edition on January 18, with a lineup that is edgier and more raw than ever before. Themed around the question “What If”, the festival hopes to redefine what urban subculture means to us and how we interact with it. Through a whole slew of activities, you can immerse yourself in the magic of street culture in the heart of Kampong Glam.

Urban subculture and alternative art are often seen as inaccessible, deviant and niche. AUAF plans to challenge that by bringing you closer to these communities. The artists participating this year will help you experience these cultures and rethink your perception of their genres.

Here are some of the highlights of the Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2020:

1. D’Tour of Kampong Glam
Location: Aliwal Arts Centre Music Studio
Time: 4pm–5pm, 5pm–6pm & 6pm–7pm
Explore the streets and murals of Kampong Glam with members of RSCLS as your guide. RSCLS, a collective of street art veterans based in Aliwal Arts Centre, has conceptualized a tour that fuses AR technology and visual art to tell the hidden stories of the neighborhood through its beautifully illustrated walls.

2. Live Outdoor Painting Session
Location: Aliwal Street
Time: 4pm–8pm
Members of RSCLS, the leaders of Urban Art at AUAF, will be hosting a live painting session. Here you can watch these veteran street artists create and tell their stories through their work. You too can contribute to the story, with opportunities to try your hand at spray painting alongside their murals.

3. Urban Sounds
Location: Aliwal Street Stage
Time: 6pm-10pm
Presented by SGMUSO, Urban Sounds brings together some of Singapore’s best artists. Enjoy a range of music from alternative hip hop to R&B with Mediocre Haircut Crew, Tengyboy, Preetipls, Big D Bangla and Pyra. Let their beats and bars flow through you at the outdoor music stage.

4. Glow with The Flow
Location: Blackbook Studio
Time: 6pm–late
As the night draws to a close, Slac Satu of The Blackbook Studio will create an evolving art piece that materializes as the sun sets. Watch as the installation glows in the dark from the mix of phosphorescent colors used. Hint: it’s the perfect showcase for long-exposure shots and light trail photography.

5. What If… We Had A Party Right Now
Location: Multi-purpose Hall
Time: 8.30pm–11.30pm
The closing party for AUAF, What If… We Had A Party Right Now, mixes different aspects of street culture to round up the long day. You can look forward to dance battles, cyphers and a smashing good time.

6. Street Jam
Location: Aliwal Street Carpark
Time: 4pm-10pm
Local skateboarders will attempt to outdo each other in this live outdoor skate battle. They will be competing in three different categories: Skate Run Contest, Best Trick, and Tricks 4 Cash. Remember to breathe as you watch these daredevils go all out for the grand prize.

7. Mini Skate Clinic
Location: Aliwal Street Carpark
Time: 4pm-10pm
Learn to take on the ramps and do tricks at the Mini Skate Clinic. For those new to the sport, you will get the chance to learn from experienced riders, who can guide you to master the skate deck. You can also catch the riders shred it on the mini ramps as they demonstrate how the world can be one big skate park.

8. Stitch In A Bag
Location: Multi-purpose Studio A
Time: 5pm–6.30pm, 8pm–9.30pm
Price: S$30
Keen to upcycle your old fabrics and bags? At Stitch In A Bag, you’ll learn to repurpose worn out and damaged materials and stitch them onto Fin Tote bags. Create unique totes that are hand made by you!

9. Craft and Design Market
Location: Aliwal Street Carpark
Time: 4pm–10pm
Stock up on unique gifts at the Craft and Design Market, which will feature handmade and one-of-a-kind products made by Singaporean artists. You can also grab a bite and chill out between activities here.

10. SMILE
Location: Anytime
Time: Anywhere
Put a smile on your face by entering the whimsical world of ScRach MarcS. The interactive roving dance crew will keep your entertained with pop-up performances, mime interactions, and even dance workshops. All you have to do is find their next pop-up performance!