Often regarded as one of the most liveable cities in the world, Singapore is a major global financial and business hub as well as a vibrant, funky and cosmopolitan metropolis.

Situated at the crossroads of Asia’s booming economies, including India and China, the city-state is home to a multicultural society comprising Chinese, Malays, Indians, Eurasians and a growing number of expatriates from all over the world.

Strikingly modern in outlook and appearance, Singapore is renowned for its clean and green environment, low crime rate, and world-class info-communications and transportation network.

Over the last decade, the Lion City has also been actively transforming itself into a lifestyle destination for gourmands, art connoisseurs and party-goers as it seeks to add more style, colour and pizzazz to its already glowing reputation in the world of commerce. Festivals like the World Gourmet Summit, the Singapore Food Festival, the Singapore Film Festival, the Singapore Arts Festival and the Singapore Art Show have become de rigueur in its annual cultural calendar.

In years to come, residents and visitors to Singapore can expect a buzz of activities as it seeks to fulfil its vision of becoming a Renaissance City of the Arts, Design, Science, Technology and Commerce.

The initiative will focus on growing Singapore's arts and cultural base of audience and talents, while developing new programmes to support the arts and cultural industries, and seek greater collaborative and partnership opportunities between arts, business and technology.

Quick Facts

Full Name
Republic of Singapore

Area
683 sq km (264 sq miles)

Population
4,430,000

Time Zone
GMT/UTC +8 (Standard Time)

Ethnic groups (Local Population)
67% Chinese, 24% Malay, 8% Indian, 1% Others

Languages
English is the lingua franca and used by the majority of Singaporeans. Mandarin, Malay, Tamil plus a mix of Chinese and Indian dialects are also spoken. In everyday conversation, Singaporeans tend to use a unique local patois called Singlish - which is a clipped form of English mixed with Malay and Hokkien words.

Religion
42% Buddhist, 15% Muslim, 14% Christian, 9% Taoist, 4% Hindu

Currency
Singapore Dollar (S$)

Country Dialling Code
65

Arts, Culture, Learning and Entertainment Hub

LASALLE College of the Arts lies within Singapore’s Arts, Culture, Learning and Entertainment hub, right in the heart of the city. We are located at McNally Street, named after our late founder, Brother Joseph McNally.

The area is rich in architectural and cultural heritage, and home to a thriving arts scene. Here, you will find the city’s leading museums including the National Singapore Museum and the Singapore Art Museum, exhibition and performing spaces like The Esplanade and The Substation, leading education institutions like the Singapore Management University and School of the Arts, and a host of cinemas and other entertainment venues. This concentration of creative energy adds to the immersive arts experience you will find within LASALLE itself.

The Arts, Culture, Learning and Entertainment Hub is the window to Singapore’s vision to become a Global Arts City and leading international new media and design hub.

• Ministry of Information, Communications & the Arts