Come for the artworks, stay for the workshops and performances. We’ve rounded up all the best Gallery Children’s Biennale school holiday programmes for kids of all ages right here!
Love the Gallery Children’s Biennale at National Gallery Singapore? It’s one of our favourite exhibitions in town too! We love that kids are able to interact with the artworks (our top picks here); and some of these are even designed to be accessible for toddlers. We also particularly appreciate this edition’s theme – “Let’s Make A Better Place” – which teaches children core values of care, respect, imagination, and collaboration.
But checking out these immersive artworks isn’t the only magical part about the Biennale experience; there’s also a host of kid-friendly performances and workshops for the upcoming school holidays! Not only do these activities teach kids about the core values of each artwork, they allow kids to explore the artworks hands-on as well (yes, they can touch the artworks!). Plus, the fam might even score a chance to meet the artists behind the artworks!
School holiday programmes at Gallery Children’s Biennale 2023
There is a heartbeat in each artwork, and lub-dub, what’s up is here to show you how to find it. This performance is about how the rhythms of different mechanisms and materials make us move. You and the kids will be invited to play with different ‘hearts’ around the Foundation Wave artwork. You’ll also get to create your own ‘new hearts’ and movements!
Date: 25 November 2023
Time: 2.30am–3.30pm
Venue: Supreme Court Wing, Level 1 Foyer
Price: Free
Believe it or not, you can add your own touch to an artwork at the Biennale! We’re not kidding – the forest is (still) a wild thing! invites you and your kids to do just that. This performance asks audiences to think what it might look like if an artwork is allowed to ‘grow’ uncontrollably. So feel free to add on to Can you see the forest for the trees? and be ready to ‘prune’ it for others to help it ‘grow’ too.
Date: 16 December 2023
Time: 2.30am–3.45pm
Venue: City Hall Wing, Level B1, Auditorium Anteroom
Price: Free, registration required
Create with the artists
Did you know that you can create music from dried leaves? LittleCr3eatures, one of the artists behind HUTAN, will be showing you just that during its Soundmakers session. This experience is perfect for preschoolers (aged six years old and below), where they can discover how to make music from objects found on the tropical forest floor. Who knows, you could even form a mini orchestra together!
Date: 25 November 2023
Time: 2–2.30pm, 3–3.30pm, and 4–4.30pm
Venue: Supreme Court Wing, Level B1, Koh Seow Chuan Concourse Gallery
Price: $10 per adult-child pair, purchase here.
Aligned with her artwork’s theme on caring, Izziyana Suhaimi invites families to join her in creating new things from textile waste – just like what she did with her Can you see the forest for the trees? artwork! Don’t worry if you can’t finish your creation during the workshop, because you’re welcome to bring them home to continue creating.! This is a parent-accompanied workshop suitable for children aged eight to 12 years old.
Date: 9 December 2023
Time: 10.30am–12.30pm
Venue: City Hall Wing, Level B1, Auditorium Anteroom
Price: $10 per adult-child pair, or $15 per trio (one adult with two children), purchase here.
Keep an eye out for a big, friendly, pink creature
Rhodo the friendly pink creature decides to take an adventure around the Gallery, only to find itself lost, hungry, and scared. Could you help it out? Try to spot Rhodo when you’re at the Biennale in Rhodo!: A series of interactive encounters. But be gentle – Rhodo has never seen a human before!
Date: 2 December 2023
Time: 2–3pm and 4–5pm
Venue: You’ll need to find out yourselves!
Price: Free
Learn about touch and consent with the kids
I touch you touch this touches me is a great workshop for all to attend. Not only will you and the kids get to play with materials from various Biennale artworks, but you’ll also learn about touch and consent. This workshop is conducted by performance-maker Gua Khee and dance artist Bernice Lee, using concepts and exercises they’ve developed while working on Tactility Studies projects.
Date: 10 December 2023
Time: 10.30am–12pm and 2.30–4pm
Venue: City Hall Wing, Level 5, Rooftop Studios 1-4
Price: $10 per adult-child pair, purchase here.
Have the best time there!
This post is in partnership with National Gallery Singapore.