With 17 internationally recognized galleries, Gillman Barracks has established itself as one of the leading contemporary arts clusters in Singapore. The now the arts venue is pulling out all the stops for its second birthday with an exciting lineup of events and exhibitions. Here are four of the best reasons to get involved:

1. 2^nd Anniversary party

At the Gillman Barracks' 2nd Anniversary party the art galleries will be open late into the night, alongside an outdoor festival with performances by local bands Take Two and The Hat, a pop-up market by The Local People SG and a range of food stalls on site. There are also numerous artist talks spread across the evening (so get ready to engage in lots of meaningful conversations about art). 

2. Ongoing exhibitions

Besides the big bash, there are also ongoing exhibitions in store by each of the gallery’s tenants. One exhibition worth checking out is Woven Walls by Fost Gallery, a series of canvas works which question the marginal status of urban art. Also worthy of mention is Theatrical Fields, a Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) exhibition which explores performances combining art, film and video.

3. New restaurants

Aside from the festivities, foodies can look forward to several new restaurants which will be popping up near Gillman Barracks. In response to feedback that F&B choices have been limited around the area, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) has announced four new restaurants to be added to the area including an expansion of current dining outlets Artistry and The Naked Finn.

4. The launch of DRIVE

The celebrations will continue over the next few months with DRIVE, a four-month long site-wide public art project in collaboration with the Grand Prix and Singapore Art Week 2015. Outdoor art installations include wall murals, sculptures and multi-media installations, with a prize giving ceremony on Jan 23 to decide the winning artwork. Their website will also be providing information on the artists and offering educational programs on the arts.