Newton Teochew Shantang Cultural Experience, Singapore
The Newton Teochew Shantang Cultural Experience is a place-based public culture programme centred on the Teochew benevolent hall in Newton, Singapore. The project examines how traditional community institutions functioned as networks of care, mutual aid, and cultural continuity within migrant societies, and how these roles continue to resonate in contemporary urban life.
Through guided observation, contextual storytelling, and open discussion, participants are invited to engage with the spatial, social, and cultural layers of the shantang. The programme highlights how charitable practice, religious belief, and everyday community organisation intersect, offering insight into forms of grassroots social infrastructure often overlooked in modern city narratives.
Rather than approaching the shantang as a static heritage site, the project frames it as a living cultural space—one shaped by collective memory, ethical values, and ongoing community participation. The experience encourages participants to reflect on how historical institutions inform present-day understandings of care, belonging, and social responsibility.
在这次行走艺术体验中，我们很高兴能与来自不同文化背景的 20 位参与者，共同分享潮州文化的丰厚底蕴与美学精神。