INCREASING VISITORSHIP TO GILLMAN BARRACKS
Ms Janice Koh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what has been the visitorship to Gillman Barracks since it opened; (b) what is the total art sales made through the art galleries over the past one year; (c) what plans does the Ministry have to further enliven and raise the profile of Gillman Barracks as a contemporary art destination and increase traffic to this area; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider allocating independent artist studios to Singapore-based artists as a complement to the presence of commercial art galleries there.
Written Reply by Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry:
Gillman Barracks is a new arts cluster jointly developed by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), JTC Corporation and the National Arts Council (NAC). Gillman Barracks was launched about a year ago, and improvements are continually being made and development monitored by the government agencies. Visitorship and sales at the Gillman Barracks vary across galleries and events, and the government agencies do not track aggregated visitorship and sales at the Gillman Barracks.
Since its launch, the art galleries at Gillman Barracks have held more than 90 new exhibitions showcasing artists and works that have attracted international buyer interest. Exhibitions featuring top artists such as Yoshitaka Amano (Mizuma Gallery) and Yang Fudong (ShanghART Gallery) have attracted good crowds of up to 200 people each. Besides exhibitions, visitors have also been attracted to other activities at the Gillman Barracks such as school visits hosted by galleries; tours organised by Art Outreach, a non-profit arts organisation; and community activities like sketch walks organised by Urban Sketches Singapore, a group of sketch hobbyists.
Gillman Barracks’ first year has helped the galleries understand and develop their markets in Asia. Some galleries have also given indications of their sales in media reports from time to time. For example, the Business Times reported that Partners & Mucciaccia sold a third of the 54 works by established Italian artist Luciano Ventrone at the start of his show. The Straits Times also recently reported that the Michael Janssen Gallery broke even over the past year, and remains confident in the outlook for its Singapore gallery.
It will take time for Gillman Barracks to mature and realise its vision as Asia’s up-and-coming destination for contemporary art. Nevertheless, the Government notes public feedback and recognises that more can be done to improve the visitor experience. A multiagency effort will embark on the following: first, make Gillman Barracks more accessible and convenient for visitors, through covered walkways to transport nodes and between galleries, as well as more food, beverage and retail spaces in the vicinity; second, work with partners to anchor events and activities that add vibrancy and complement the galleries; and lastly, increase public outreach through publicising events on social and traditional media. To complement the government’s efforts, the galleries have also formed a Gillman Barrack Galleries Association to collectively drive initiatives. For example, to increase the outreach to tourists, the association has recently hosted hotel concierges to share more with them on Gillman Barracks as the destination for contemporary art in Singapore.
Gillman Barracks is also moving into its next phase of development with the opening of the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) by the Nanyang Technological University later this year. The CCA aims to bolster the visual arts landscape through creation, presentation and interpretation of contemporary art, while fostering research, discourse and cultural exchange.
Singapore-based artists have always been an integral part of the Gillman Barracks. Singaporeans such as Ian Woo, Herman Chong and Robert Zhao have been featured by the art galleries. In the near future, the CCA will also host non-selling exhibitions, research activities and artist studios as part of an Artist Residency Programme. Artists can apply for the programme when it is launched.