PORTLUCK

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Hi there!

Have you ever thought about what truly connects and engages the community? Or have you ever thought about what it would be like to experience a country's culture and heritage on a new level with your friends or family?

Portluck is a passion project that my team and I worked on for 5 weeks. The project belongs to the Engaging Communities class at Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore. In the beginning, we had to create a campaign or project that would engage the community in a positive and creative way by finding out current social issues around the world. It could be war, the environment, the imbalance in people's digital and offline worlds, and much more.

And finally, we chose culture and heritage. This is a stand-out topic that most people don't seem to pay attention to, especially in Singapore. Heritage and culture are what make a country; they contribute to making that country unique and different from other countries. Before delving deeper into implementing the project, we researched this topic more deeply together.

What is Culture & Heritage?

Culture is the way of life and practices of a particular group of people or community. It could be communication, beliefs, ideals, clothing, or decoration. Culture is passed down from generation to generation, from grandparents to parents to their offspring. Heritage is anything essential enough to be passed on to future generations. A historical place, a folk culture, traditional traditions, or even a language can all be considered heritage. By transmitting its inherent character, it connects future generations.

Back to Singapore, culture holds a unique and multifaceted meaning to Singaporeans due to the country's diverse and multicultural nature. Singapore is home to individuals of numerous ethnicities, including Chinese, Malay, Indian, and others. This diverse tapestry of cultures has created Singaporean identity in unique ways. Multiculturalism, food culture, festivals and celebrations, language and communication, arts and history, shared values, and national identity are all important parts of Singapore culture nowadays.

Demographic in Singapore

Based from our research, among the main ethnic groups living in Singapore, such as Chinese, Malays, and Indians, a small part (others) is the ethnic group that we want to focus on, specifically the Eurasians. They have a very special culture and heritage as well as extremely diverse from lifestyle to culinary.

Current Problem in Singapore

In Singapore, despite the rich tapestry of diverse cultures, we also noticed that there was a lack of cultural integration. It is due to the fact that different cultures in Singapore's society do not harmonize or interact effectively. Cultural integration involves the exchange and adoption of cultural elements, values, and practices among different groups, leading to a more cohesive and inclusive society. We have been conducting surveys since the beginning to see if people are interested in Singapore's culture and heritage. A list of survey questions and multiple-choice tests helped us narrow down the final results after two weeks of implementation.

Those who conducted the survey, mainly Singaporeans and PRs, wanted more attention to be paid to ethnic cultures in Singapore through an event or experience. That's why we have come up with a solution: "To unify the community through

shared experiences".

CULTAGE

In order to make this experience happen, we need an organization to host it. CULTAGE is an NGO (non-government organization) in Singapore that we came up with. Supported by MCCY (Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth), the organization's name was formed from "culture" and "heritage." Like its name suggests, this community-driven organization will specialize in organizing Singapore's cultural events with the purpose of connecting the community as well as raising people's awareness of the ethnic cultures here. We are also launching a website dedicated to CULTAGE, which will be the official website to store memories for Singapore's past, present, and future generations. Here, people can quickly view upcoming cultural events, read articles, and share on many topics from the community.

The CULTAGE logo features prominent "CULTAGE" text along with a red dot at the end, symbolizing Singapore's national color. This red dot can also be interpreted as the port of Singapore on a map, reflecting its role as a hub for importing diverse cultures from around the world.

Survey Analysis

Since CULTAGE is a community-driven organization, we also conducted a survey on many people in order to provide the best experience for everyone in Singapore. The first question we want to ask them is, “Do you believe that enough is being done to preserve and promote Singapore’s culture and heritage? More than 50% of them said NO.

We also ask them, “If you had the opportunity to immerse an audience in your culture and heritage, what would you do?"

and surprisingly, 50% of them chose food-related events.

Solution

Given the popularity of food-related events among most people, we aim to devise a solution: "an immersive cultural culinary experience that takes the audience on a 4D journey." that will be hosted by CULTAGE monthly with different theme.

For this first event, we've chosen the theme of Eurasian. The event will be aptly named "Port Luck." This name is a clever play on words, replacing "Pot luck" to signify the diverse coming together and sharing of various foods. The substitution of "Port" pays homage to Singapore's bustling port, which historically served as a gateway for cultures from around the world to converge here.

Located in the heart of Singapore, Port Luck will be held at The Arts House Singapore (1 Parliament Lane) for 1 week with the aim of attracting many people who want to explore the culinary identity of Eurasian in particular and Singapore in general.

Event branding & concept

The event logo prominently features the tagline "Singapore's First 4D Cultural Culinary Experience" positioned at the top. To craft a compelling event concept and branding strategy, our focus is on utilizing visually striking imagery, incorporating playful and straightforward typography, all while vividly bringing the identity of Eurasian culture to life.

In our visual approach, we aim to captivate attention through eye-catching pictures that showcase the richness and diversity of Eurasian culinary traditions. The design will embrace a playful aesthetic, ensuring that it resonates with a broad audience while maintaining a sense of cultural authenticity.

Typography plays a crucial role in our branding strategy. Our primary typeface, GLD Display, is chosen for its bold and contemporary feel, adding a modern touch to the overall design. Complementing this, our secondary typefaces, EB Garamond and Lexend Deca, bring in a balanced blend of elegance and readability. This typographic mix will be consistently applied across all branding elements, ensuring a cohesive and visually appealing presentation throughout the entirety of the inaugural CULTAGE event.

By employing these design elements, we strive to create an immersive and memorable experience that not only celebrates the cultural richness of Eurasian heritage but also establishes a visual identity that resonates with the diverse audience attending Singapore's First 4D Cultural Culinary Experience.

Moodboard

Portluck’s moodboard features visually striking images capturing the vibrancy of diverse cultures, from colorful traditional attire to tantalizing culinary delights, offering a preview of the immersive experience awaiting visitors.

Instagram Posts

As the inaugural event in a series of monthly cultural culinary experiences centered around Eurasian heritage, we are committed to creating something truly special while preserving the unique identity of Eurasian culture. To achieve this, we've devised a strategy that not only distinguishes the event but also engages our audience in a distinctive and memorable manner.

Throughout the pre-launch and post-event phases, our Instagram presence takes center stage. We've incorporated Kristang, the language spoken by Eurasians, into all our Instagram posts. This strategic use of Kristang words serves a dual purpose: it adds an authentic touch to our content and attracts a broader audience with its fun and easy-to-remember nature.

The infusion of Kristang words like "Saodi" (Cheers!), "Muitu Merseh" (Thank you for coming), "Feel like Nakaza" (At home), and "Klaiki Nobes" (How are you?) into our posts not only aligns with the vibrant colors and typefaces we've chosen but also serves as a cultural bridge, inviting viewers to connect with the essence of Eurasian culture from the very first glance.

Our vibrant colors and carefully selected typefaces, such as the bold and contemporary GLD Display, create an eye-catching visual identity that complements the cultural richness we aim to showcase. This cohesive design approach, coupled with the use of Kristang, ensures that our Instagram presence becomes a captivating and memorable experience for potential followers and event attendees alike.

CULTAGE Instagram Profile

Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories ads will be run all the time, from the start of the event until it ends, using the same design concept. By weaving these elements together, we are not only establishing a unique identity for this cultural culinary event but also building an engaging online community that eagerly anticipates each monthly installment. This intentional blend of culture, language, and design aims to make Singapore's First 4D Cultural Culinary Experience a remarkable and inclusive journey for all.

We're simplifying the event experience with distinct colors and Kristang for VIP, Media, and General ticket holders. Wristband colors make visitor identification easy. Attendees receive culture-specific pins as mementos; for example, a Lechon pin for those at a Filipino-themed event.

Event Layout

Floor plan of the 4 key features that will be displayed before entering the main dining event. There 4 rooms of the event visitors will experience.

1. The Start: This area of the event will show the rich history as well as multiple family trees from the Eurasian Culture.

2. The Living Room: What will be displayed will be the short life snippets of Eurasian culture like their superstitions, their way of life and even their weddings.

3. The Hallway: A 4D experience of sounds and visuals of the spice route which shows how these spices came to Singapore. This acts as a great transition into the next area.

4. The Kitchen: Showcasing the spices that most Eurasians use, as well as actual dishes that are common in Eurasian households.

5. Dining Room: Guests will be served 5 dishes of the culture. During eachseparate course, history of the dish will be projected onto the 360 wall projection.