In collaboration with local partner Art Outreach and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, the event happening on 25 and 26 May sees urban sports athletes and urban artists from both countries converging at the 18-year-old Somerset Skate Park to immerse Singaporeans in a joint showcase of their talents.

The event's focus on urban sports gives a nod to the inclusion of the category into the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which includes sports like BMX, skateboarding and breaking. It also runs parallel to the plans to transform the Place de la Concorde in Paris into an urban sports space. The unique collaboration also serves as a bridge between France and Singapore, deepening cultural ties through a shared passion for artistic expression and athleticism.

Somerset Skate Park transformed into a vibrant urban playground

Artletics caps off a month-long line up of programmes under the vOilah! France Singapore Festival - an annual cultural festival organised by the Embassy of France in Singapore to demonstrate French creativity and innovation through the power of cross-cultural collaborations.

In the spirit of enabling cultural exchanges, the Somerset Skate Park in the heart of Orchard Road is transformed into a dynamic space as orchestrated by urban artists from Singapore and France.

Three visual artists from Singapore - Zero, Spaz, and Simpleproblembeings - worked alongside French muralist Elsa Martino and graffiti artist Kekli to enliven the space by decorating the walls and the ramps of the skate park with vibrant designs. Supported by Singapore's urban art collective RSCLS, these artists also will lead the public in engaging art jam sessions to partake in a collaboration of community artwork.

First to utilise the redecorated space are French skateboarding athlete Max Berguin, Champion of the France Street Skateboard 2023 and Singaporean urban sport communities in the field of skateboarding, breaking, BMX, bike trials, parkour and yo-yo who will be displaying their talents to spectators.

The event also features adrenaline-inducing urban sports showcases, opportunities for the public to take part in workshops conducted by local urban sports groups, as well as music sets in the evening by Singaporean DJs Kiat and Intriguant.

"Artletics is a vibrant celebration of the creative spirit that bridges French and Singaporean cultures through youth, urban sports and art," said Mae Anderson, Chairman of Art Outreach. "We are thrilled to see French and Singaporean artists and skateboarders come together, transforming Somerset Skate Park into a collaborative canvas. We hope this event serves as a great opportunity for everyone to experience the power of art, athletics, while fostering a sense of belonging, inclusion and community spirit."