Found at Level 5 of the National Library Building and with a pop-up at National Design Centre, the Central Arts Library offers a collection of arts-related resources including books, music scores, play scripts, classical as well as popular CDs and video recordings of films, operas, dance performances, and theatre productions.
Central Arts Library: A Hub for Arts Resources in the Civic District
Nestled in the heart of Singapore’s arts and heritage district, the Central Arts Library is located close to academic and arts institutions such as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, the School of the Arts, Singapore, and the LASALLE College of the Arts.
The new Central Arts Library brings together resources found at the former library@esplanade and the design and applied arts-focused collection from library@orchard, the latter of which is currently closed for a revamp.
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Beyond media resources, the Central Arts Library also offer spaces for arts-related activities such as a Silent Studio Room and will be organising arts programmes to expose the arts to a wider audience.
Performing Arts Collection at Level 5 of the National Library Building
The primary location of the Central Arts Library is at on level 5 of the National Library Building. This brings together the library’s performing arts collections and services.
This is where you will find the books about music and artists, music scores, play scripts, classical as well as popular CDs and video recordings of films, operas, dance performances, and theatre productions.
Those who miss the collection that used to be at library@esplanade will glad to find it at the Central Arts Library.
Piano Practice Room
Pianists who wish to try out the music scores can do so at the piano practice room on level 5. The Piano Practice room is equipped with a baby grand piano and is available for booking by the public.
The room has a maximum capacity of three persons and costs $8.65 per hour on weekdays and $12.22 per hour on weekends. It can be booked online at https://go.gov.sg/nlbfacilitybooking
Silent Studio
For those who are more into contemporary band type of music, there is the Silent Studio, also at level 5.
The Silent Studio is equipped with a system that allows musicians to play music with each other while listening to themselves through headphones. It also comes equipped with a four types of guitars – acoustic, electric, classical and a bass, a digital piano, electric drum kit, microphones and music stands.
The Silent Studio has a maximum capacity of seven persons and allows for up to four instruments to be plugged in. The booking rate is $10.69 per hours on weekdays and $14.77 per hour on weekends. It can be booked online at https://go.gov.sg/nlbfacilitybooking
Screening Room
Film buffs will be glad to know that the Central Arts Library also features a Screening Room.
Found on level 8 of the National Library Building, the Screening Room is equipped with a surround sound home theatre system and can be reserved by patrons for up to three hours per day for in-depth study or recreational viewing of dance, theatre, operas, and motion pictures on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K format.
Library patrons can borrow titles from the Central Arts Library collection of approximately 30,000 titles on dance, theatre, operas, and motion picture and watch them at the cosy Screening Room.
There are also listening stations available on the 8th floor.
Design and Applied Arts-focused Collection at National Design Centre
Across the road from the National Library Building is the Central Arts Library’s University of the Arts, Singapore Node, found on the second floor of the National Design Centre.
This node has been setup in partnership with the in partnership with the University of the Arts, Singapore and brings together the library’s design and applied arts-focused collection.
There are about 5,500 titles are available on four design topics: people, space, visual and product.
To enter the library, visitors can simply scan their ID or request a QR code day pass. Patrons can then browse and borrow books using the NLB Mobile app.
New RefToGo Initiative: Borrow Reference Materials from the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library
Another new initiative that has been launched is the ability for patrons to borrow material from the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library.
Previously, the material from the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library could only be viewed within the seven floors, from levels 7 to 13, of the National Library Building.
Under the RefToGo initiative, library patrons will be able to borrow over 200,000 selected titles from the General Reference Collection found on level 7 (Business, Science, Technology & Social Sciences Collections), level 8 (Arts & Humanities Collections) and level 9 (Chinese, Malay & Tamil Collections) of the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library.
Aimed at enhancing the experience for library patrons who need to spend more time with the research materials, the RefToGo initiative allows the selected materials to be borrowed via the NLB Mobile app for up to 21 days. This includes an extensive Arts collection on topics such as art history, artforms and techniques, and applied arts at Level 8.
Programmes at the Central Arts Library
Those who love the performing arts and the arts-curious can also look forward an extensive ranging of programming organised by the Central Arts Library.
Amongst others, these programmes include:
- The Big Picture – a series of fortnightly movie screenings lovingly curated by librarians at the Central Arts Library.
- Jazz Appreciation – a jazz and music improvisation performance-lecture series held monthly at the National Library Building Lobby, with the aim of educating the public on jazz appreciation and techniques of music improvisation.
- Insider Series – professional talks is targeted at those who wish to pursue a career in the performing arts industry.
- Open Stage Originals – a quarterly open call opportunity and platform for local singer songwriters, musicians, filmmakers, playwrights and choreographers to showcase and promote their original works.
- The Performers’ Body – a series of workshops focusing on developing and nurturing the performer’s body.
- Groovy Starters – beginner-friendly dance sessions to learn how to groove to hip hop rhythm and beats.
- Pro Series – a curated suite of talks workshops and portfolio reviews where Singapore-based artists and designers are invited to share their professional expertise in design and the applied arts with the public.
To celebrate the opening of the Central Arts Library, there will be also be be opening festivities from 12 to 15 Dec 2024, alongside the usual arts programmes for the month of December. This includes performances by the Echo Philharmonic Society and The ROS Singers, a comedy improvisation performance and more.
Patrons who borrow four books from the Central Arts Library will also be able to redeem a token to play arcade games located at the entrance to the Central Arts Library.
Get more details about the Central Arts Library’s opening festivities and other programmes.
Discovering, Reading and Learning About the Arts
NLB Chief Executive Officer Mr Ng Cher Pong said: “With the centralising of NLB’s arts resources here in the heart of the Civic District, we hope to make discovering, reading and learning about the arts easier for everyone. We also look forward to working with the community, including our ongoing partnership with the University of the Arts, to create more opportunities for people to experience the arts, and be inspired by it.”
If you enjoyed this story, we think that you may also enjoy reading about the Central Public Library, also located at the National Library Building.
