With the theme of Symbiosis, this year’s festival features a dynamic mix of art, music, dance and skate culture woven through the heart of Kampong Gelam.
Aliwal Arts Centre (AAC) will come alive on Saturday, 31 January 2026, as the Aliwal Urban Arts Festival (AUAF) returns for a high-energy celebration of urban culture in conjunction with Singapore Art Week. Organised by Arts House Group (AHG), the festival transforms Kampong Gelam into a vibrant ecosystem of art, movement and community, where street culture, creative experimentation and collective expression converge.
A Festival Like No Other
This year’s festival, themed Symbiosis, invites audiences to experience the dynamic convergence of urban arts, music, dance, and skate culture, all woven together in the heart of Kampong Gelam. It promises a multisensory journey through art installations, live graffiti painting, an arts market, electrifying dance and music acts, and adrenaline-pumping skateboarding activities in the Aliwal Carpark.
The festival’s signature highlight, Heart Chamber, curated by Singapore street art collective and AAC artist tenant RSCLS, will transform the corridors of Aliwal Arts Centre into an immersive exhibition of sound, light, and digital art, featuring more than 10 artists. Launched a week prior to the festival, visitors will be guided through painted motifs, animated projections, and rhythmic lights, culminating in open studios where the creative pulse of resident artists can be discovered.
New Expanded Spaces
Anchoring the festival are programmes by Aliwal Arts Centre tenants that invite audiences into worlds of imagination and dialogue. Nimble Mystic’s Strange Terrain transforms Aliwal Arts Centre with a series of inflatable installations, creating playful, immersive spaces where nature takes the spotlight. These bold structures invite visitors to wander through dynamic landscapes that echo cycles of growth and change – a journey from our familiar Garden City into the imaginative realm of Strange Terrain.
Hothouse’s YOU BUILT THIS is a two-hour expanded roundtable exploring the tensions between pure intention and primal instinct. Audiences can expect a dynamic mix of conversation and performance, including a presentation by landscape artists Salad Dressing, a silent screening of The Garden (1986) live-scored by violist Jeremy Chiew of Sensable Music and a rare glimpse of the unpublished music video u whr pain (2016/2026). The evening culminates in a roundtable with guest panellists, creating a space for curiosity and critical exchange.
Deepening Community Engagement
This edition of AUAF also expands its reach and inclusivity, with new collaborative murals by regional and local street artists. AUAF will activate unconventional spaces in and around Aliwal Arts Centre, such as courtyards and transitional zones, to create spontaneous encounters with art. The Aliwal Carpark will be further enlivened with urban art experiences, including interactive installations that reinforce the interconnectedness of artistic disciplines and communities. These dynamic interventions ensure that every corner of the precinct pulses with creative energy.
Hothouse’s YOU BUILT THIS is a two-hour expanded roundtable exploring the tensions between pure intention and primal instinct. Audiences can expect a dynamic mix of conversation and performance, including a presentation by landscape artists Salad Dressing, a silent screening of The Garden (1986) live-scored by violist Jeremy Chiew of Sensable Music and a rare glimpse of the unpublished music video u whr pain (2016/2026). The evening culminates in a roundtable with guest panellists, creating a space for curiosity and critical exchange.
Deepening Community Engagement
This edition of AUAF also expands its reach and inclusivity, with new collaborative murals by regional and local street artists. AUAF will activate unconventional spaces in and around Aliwal Arts Centre, such as courtyards and transitional zones, to create spontaneous encounters with art. The Aliwal Carpark will be further enlivened with urban art experiences, including interactive installations that reinforce the interconnectedness of artistic disciplines and communities. These dynamic interventions ensure that every corner of the precinct pulses with creative energy.
Mini Flips by SkateSG brings the art of fingerboarding to life in a spirited competition that celebrates precision, creativity, and mutualism in miniature. With open categories, Best Run and Best Trick contests and a $400 prize purse, it’s a showcase of skill and style for up to 30 participants.
Returning Favourites
Skateboarding makes a dynamic comeback with competitions and clinics that fuse sport, art, and community – all curated by SkateSG. The outdoor music stage and closing block party will bring together urban dance and music acts, with dynamic performances curated by ScRach MarcS and collaborations across AAC’s artist tenants such as Kalpavriksha Fine Arts and their respective dance and music practices. Their involvement showcases the diversity of artistic expression within the precinct, in line with the festival’s theme of Symbiosis.
Festivalgoers can immerse themselves in drop-in activities that invite hands-on participation – such as graffiti try-outs on the side alley wall facilitated by RSCLS. The Synapses: Urban Art Market will feature about ten curated booth vendors at the Multipurpose Studio, offering unique creations and opportunities to engage directly with local artists. This vibrant marketplace gathers young makers, zine collectives, fragrance studios, vinyl diggers, upcyclers, subculture crews and botanical storytellers – all beneath a striking canopy of neon webbing and bioluminescent lights. Visitors can look forward to a sensory experience that celebrates creativity, craft and community.
The popular D’TOUR by RSCLS (walking tours of street art and murals in the Kampong Gelam precinct) will also return as part of AUAF’s educational outreach. This year features D’TOUR Kids Edition (Special AUAF 2026 Session), curated to engage young audiences through inclusive storytelling and visual exploration, making urban arts accessible to all.
Closing the festival on a high note, the Get Up & Get Down Block Party makes its long‑awaited comeback – last seen before the pandemic. This vibrant finale transforms the Aliwal Carpark into a pulsating dance zone, with freestyle circles, big beats and an electrifying atmosphere where everyone grooves together – a celebration of community spirit at the heart of AUAF.
Join In The Festivities
Christie Chua, Head (Venue Programming) at Arts House Group, said, “This year, AUAF embodies the spirit of ‘Symbiosis’, transforming Aliwal Arts Centre into a vibrant ecosystem where artists, skaters and festivalgoers connect. From art installations and murals to skate clinics and music showcases, AUAF 2026 celebrates urban arts and welcomes new partners to make the festival more accessible and engaging.”
Whether you’re an urban arts enthusiast, a music lover or simply seeking a unique weekend experience, AUAF 2026 offers something for everyone. Explore open studios, join hands-on workshops, witness live performances and be part of a festival that celebrates creativity, collaboration and community. Admission is free unless otherwise stated.
Aliwal Urban Arts Festival 2026
📅 Sat, 31 Jan 2026
📍 Aliwal Arts Centre & Aliwal Carpark, Kampong Gelam, 28 Aliwal Street, S(199918)
#AUAF2026 #AliwalUrbanArtsFestival
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