Opening of Gallery Children’s Biennale 2025

It is my pleasure to join all of us here for the launch of the fifth Gallery Children’s Biennale.

Since 2017, the Biennale has opened up new ways for children, families, parents, grandparents, and all of us, to come together to discover art through play, imagination and a sense of wonder.

I fondly remember the fourth edition. I remember because after opening it, I brought more than 1,500 of my own residents, young and not so young, over a few weekends to come here; and we have been really looking forward to the fifth edition.

This year’s edition is especially meaningful because this year, we are celebrating two important milestones: Singapore’s 60 th birthday, as well as the Gallery’s 10th anniversary.

In conjunction with these two very important milestones, I think the theme is very timely because “Tomorrow, We’ll Be…” also reflect that we will continuously be inspired to dream, and of course, reach for the stars.

The theme, “Tomorrow, We’ll Be…” is really about inviting all of us, young and not so young, to imagine the future world, as well as the people that our children would aspire to be.

The future is like an open sea that is vast and full of promise, but at the same time is subject to weather and uncertainty. As our children set sail from the safe harbours of home, parents and grandparents, we all know our children will also need very strong values.

At the heart of this year’s Children’s Biennale are four very simple guiding values: Joy, Kindness, Love and Dream. The eight multi-sensorial artworks invite our children and all of us as parents and adults to join them to discover these values as they explore with their senses and curious minds. Now let me share with you what their inspirations are behind these four values.

• The first one, joy. Joy is very much like starlight – subtle, but always present. Children, we all know, find joy in play – even us too. There is a child in all of us. And similarly, our artists seated in the second row, they are always delighted by their own creations. Drawing from the artist's experience of finding happiness through art, the artwork called “Colourful Play” allows our children to create and recreate magnetic papercut designs, transforming simple shapes into delightful patterns. As all of us explore the Biennale, let’s watch how our children really come alive when they paint, build, and dance. Later we will really look forward to the sparkles in their eyes as they play. Let us keep our handphone away, and be very present, and join them in these magical moments.

• Kindness is the keel that steadies the boat. Kindness is unseen yet essential for a strong society. In the artwork called “Kindness Garden”, a Braille-inspired artwork, it will guide all of us, whether children or adults, guide the participants to see beyond the physical, reminding us that kindness grows when we embrace our differences, when we immerse in a world of inclusion, and when we all feel with open hearts.

• Third value is Love. Love is the anchor because it fully anchors us in turbulent seas. And very much like art, love transcends time and borders. We see this in the artwork called “Home is Where the Heart Is”. This artwork is inspired by Mohamed Salehuddin’s “Malay House, Malacca” from the Gallery’s collection. This art piece is about the dialogue between past and present, because it shows how the love for home, the love for community is passed down through generations. We are also very heartened to see the collaboration between local and international artists coming together in this Children’s Biennale to share stories in a common language of love and connection.

• Finally, the fourth guiding value is Dream. Dream is the wind that propels our young sailors forward. The artwork called “Fantasy” is really inspiring, because it transforms toys and baby clothes into an enchanting dreamscape, showing children that their imagination can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

There are a lot of ‘firsts’ for this Biennale although it is the fifth edition. For the first time, the Children’s Biennale offers age-specific art packs. We heard your feedback from the fourth edition. It was a standard art pack with which the younger children could not quite know what to do with some of that. This time round, NGS is rolling out age-specific art pack, making creative exploration accessible to all. From babies and toddlers, to young children and even us adults, you will find that there is something here for everyone no matter what your age is, because no one is too young and no one is too old to dream.

Beyond the artworks, what makes the Biennale truly special are the shared memories, the shared moments that all of us experience as we watch the dance performance together earlier. I think you will agree that in our fast-paced world, sometimes we don’t have enough time to slow down and connect. But here, through play and thoughtful expression, families can come together to rediscover and connect with one another and the world around them.

I will bring again, more than 1,500 of my very own residents back to Children’s Biennale in July. I urge all of you, please spread the word, share with more friends and families. On this note, I want to say on behalf of the MCCY family, a big thank you to a few groups of people. Let us put our hands together and thank the wonderful local and international artists who make the fifth edition of the Children’s Biennale possible.

I also want to invite the NGS Biennale team – thank you for working really hard – not just the past few months, but in fact, since the fourth edition of the Biennale ended that they have started working.

Thank you to the artists and the Gallery team for creating this welcoming and inclusive space where art is accessible, where we all come together to foster learning through play, and where every child, regardless of background or ability, is seen, heard, and celebrated. This is really what we at MCCY strive for – a vibrant arts and culture ecosystem that brings enriching experiences to all Singaporeans.

Now I’m a mother of two boys. They are older now. They are eighteen and twenty. But as a mummy, speaking to parents and families, later on as we join our journey to explore the fifth edition of Children’s Biennale, let us continue to nurture our children’s creativity, continue to plant the seeds of a lifelong love for art.

As we explore the artwork with them, I invite us to set aside our handphones, no matter how many texts we receive, really enjoy the artwork with them. Let them pull our hands along, and really have a conversation, and let curiosity guide our conversations. For example, when we reach the joy station, let us ask them, what brings us joy? When we bring them to the station of kindness, maybe we can discuss how do we show kindness? There is no right or wrong answer. There are many versions of the answer. When we reach the artwork that says love, we can have a conversation on what love means to us? I think you will realise, no matter how many children you have, each of their love language is different. I think that conversation will take us very far as a family. And later on, we can ask them, so who do we want to be? And it is very natural for us to change our mind as we grow.

On that note, I will turn to our children and even our toddlers. Now, may this Biennale inspire you to dream boldly, love deeply, and journey bravely into tomorrow. The world of tomorrow really begins with your imagination today.

I wish you, whether you are young or not so young, a wonderful visit filled with joy, discovery, and inspiration. Thank you.