Aren’t you curious about what goes on behind those striking architectural walls? This is Lasalle College of the Arts. It is more than just a building. Lasalle is a launchpad for Singapore’s creative future.
Lasalle College of the Arts was founded in 1984. Brother Joseph McNally established it. He envisioned a place where art could flourish. At the time, the Singapore government didn’t prioritise the arts. McNally largely funded the college himself. It began as St Patrick’s Arts Centre.
Lasalle has grown significantly since its humble beginnings. It now has two campuses. The main campus is the McNally Campus. The second is the Winstedt Campus. Lasalle offers over 30 programmes. These include diplomas and degrees. They cover a wide range of artistic disciplines.
Lasalle’s McNally Campus is in the Rochor area. This area is known as an arts hub. The campus boasts impressive facilities. There are galleries and exhibition spaces. It also features a theatre and art production workshop. Here, students construct full-scale stage sets.
The Winstedt Campus opened in 2013. It provides studio and workshop space. This campus is near Newton. It is designed for students in studio-based modules. Visual arts students often work here. They develop their semester projects in this space.
Lasalle has eight distinct schools. These schools cover various art and design programmes. The School of Contemporary Music offers diplomas in Audio Production and Music. The McNally School of Fine Arts focuses on fine arts disciplines. These include sculpture and printmaking.
The School of Dance and Theatre concentrates on dance and performance. Urban Dance and Jazz are taught here. The School of Creative Industries focuses on developing creative industries. It offers programmes like Arts Management. The School of Fashion offers programmes in Fashion Design and Textiles.
The School of Spatial and Product Design includes Interior Design. The School of Design Communication focuses on Graphic Design. The Puttnam School of Film and Animation covers animation and film. Lasalle partners with Goldsmiths, University of London. This partnership validates its bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Many leaders in Singapore’s arts scene have connections to Lasalle. Alan Oei is the artistic director of The Substation. Eugene Tan is the director of the National Gallery Singapore. Both have links to Lasalle.
Lasalle is now part of the University of the Arts Singapore. This signifies its importance in Singapore’s arts education. The college continues to nurture artistic talent. It contributes significantly to the nation’s cultural landscape. So, as you stand before Lasalle College of the Arts, remember its story. It is a story of vision, dedication and artistic excellence.