Bencoolen Stories, a project by the NAFA Cultural Policy Lab, takes a different approach to this year’s Myths & Legends theme by spotlighting the “living legends” of Bencoolen Street. Drawing on first-hand oral histories and archival research, the project shares six visual and textual stories featuring long-standing and newer community anchors including Masjid Bencoolen, Mackenzie Rex, Bettr Coffee, Daylight Coffee, Al Jilani and Print de Creation. NAFA students and alumni contributed to the project as artists and creative collaborators, with award-winning designer and NAFA alumnus Raihan Syahmi leading the fabrication and installation of the works. Audiences are also invited to contribute their own memories of the street, turning the installation into a growing community record of Bencoolen’s changing identity.
Venue: Frangipani Garden, next to Stamford Arts Centre
When: 21 Aug - 6 Sep 2026,
By: NAFA
