F

eeling the urge to get creative and embark on those artistic pursuits? The Singapore Arts Festival promises close encounters with the latest developments in the international arts and crafts scene between May 14 and June 13, 2010.

This year's theme, Between You and Me, is all about getting up close and personal with the arts. For the first time ever, the festival is actively reaching out to the public through an outreach program called "com.mune."

The interactive com.mune program highlights include festival-related know-how such as artist insights, online previews and fun quizzes, this on top of learning workshops on skills from arts writing and photography to line dancing and directing.

Also organized are specific programs for teachers and artists - making costumes for school productions, playwriting for young audiences - while teens are encouraged to join the three-day Youth Arts Camp to learn further about basic performance skills like acting, physical theater, masking and playwriting.

Outside of com.mune, don't miss such exciting outdoor shows as Trois (Merlion Park, June 4 to 6), a street theater incorporating puppetry, dance, mime, stilts and masks.

For those interested in moving about Singapore while examining a work of art, Cargo Kuala Lumpur - Singapore is a site-specific performance that takes the audience on a journey through Singapore's lesser known streets on a converted freight truck. The truck leaves every evening during the festival (except on Sundays) from the Esplanade Waterfront.

Last but not least, Singapore Arts Festival is catering to football fans with World Cup fever through an international collaboration that explores the art of the beautiful game through a series of dance, theater, video, music and technology performances.

Football! Football! takes place at the Victoria Theater on May 20 and 21. For complete program listing, venue and bookings, go to singaporeartsfest.com.

Now, though the Singapore Arts Festival has something for everyone (including an exciting lineup of activities for your children), it would be wise not to limit the young ones' artistic pursuits at just one venue.

Playeum, Singapore's first Play Museum for kids, is unveiling new installations at Memories at Old Ford Factory and Reflections at Bukit Chandu this May.

Themed "Me and My World,"the programs kick off on May 15 and 16 respectively and will feature interactive installations and work to make learning and expressing oneself even more fun!

The programs are organized by Playeum in collaboration with the National Archives of Singapore partly in commemoration of International Museum Day 2010.