As a real estate developer that employs design to enhance the features of its developments and infuses art to add vitality to its facilities, Mapletree recognises the value that the arts and design create. As such, Mapletree has commissioned artworks displayed at communal locations at its flagship projects — VivoCity and Mapletree Business City (MBC). Mapletree also organises complimentary arts engagement programmes at its facilities for business communities at the Alexandra Precinct. In recognition of its contributions, Mapletree is a consistent recipient of the National Arts Council’s Patron of the Arts Awards.
Defining the Mapletree brand
Mapletree commissioned a series of coffee table books to feature the art installations at its Singapore-based developments. The first book, Art in the City, showcases the eight artworks at MBC, while Art on the Waterfront features VivoCity’s seven installations that were commissioned during the inaugural Singapore Biennale 2006.
Mapletree Arts in the City
Through arts performances and outreach programmes such as ‘Arts in the City’ (AITC) and ‘Arts in Your Neighbourhood’ (AYN) which are organised in collaboration with the Singapore National Arts Council (NAC), we have been engaging local artists and presenting a regular stream of performances and art installations across a myriad of genres at our flagship MBC development.
Started in 2013, AITC seeks to provide working adults with more opportunities for artistic engagement. AITC also offers a platform for emerging local artists to showcase their artistic talents.
Mapletree launched a new digital series, “Mapletree Arts in the City on Air” in May 2020. The series, which features a variety of performances, ranging from music to dance, as well as digital theatre and art tutorials, started as part of the Group's CSR efforts to provide a platform for the arts during Singapore's “circuit breaker” period while paying tribute to frontline workers battling the Covid-19 pandemic. As at 31 March 2021, Mapletree has committed S$85,000 to MAITC on Air.
Mapletree became the corporate sponsor of The TENG Ensemble, a critically acclaimed local arts group, since 2018.
Under the sponsorship, Mapletree funded public performances at the VivoCity Amphitheatre as well as Mapletree-TENG Academy Scholarships to provide financial support for the musical education of these young talents aged 21 and below who are passionate about Chinese music. Since 2018, 18 youths have benefited from the scholarships, each valued at S$10,000 for a two-year tenure.
To expand our support beyond performance arts to visual arts, Mapletree continued to support the School of the Arts (SOTA) Primary 6 Art Competition for the third consecutive year as the main sponsor. Started in 2018, the nationwide competition aims to discover young artistic talents and provide a platform to showcase their works.
Mapletree further reinforced Arts as a pillar in our CSR efforts through the launch of an art book, Culture City. Culture Scape., that underscores the significance of art in public spaces and documents the public art commission at MBC II as well as the curators’ conversations with the artists and Mapletree’s Chairman Mr Edmund Cheng. The Mapletree-NTU CCA Singapore Public Art Education Programme which started in 2017 also includes regular guided tours on the Mapletree Public Art Trail, public events, educational seminars and conferences.
Venue sponsorship
Mapletree continued to extend venue support to CSR-related events at its Singapore properties. Examples include venue support for the Health Promotion Board’s Workplace Health Promotion series at MBC and sponsored mall space for the sale of merchandise from Pathlight School at VivoCity.
