NUS College’s The Collective Faire
22 March
The Collective Faire was held from 22 to 23 March 2023 on the premises of NUS College. I had organised its first iteration some eight years ago in my third year of University! I had been inspired by the Really Really Free Market initiative to start something similar where individuals could give away their pre-loved items and share their talents with the community for free. It was both a gentle push against the tide of growing consumerism and an invitation for then-University Scholars Programme (USP) students to discover how wonderfully vibrant our community was (and still is!).
As with previous runs of The Collective Faire, individuals and groups from NUSC could set up any type of booth they wanted. This year, we were treated to a host of activities that included cheese tasting, french horn lessons, and the ever-popular live indomie station! This was also the first year that alumni were welcomed back. After COVID-19 put a pause to the full spectrum of College life, it was heartening to see everyone back together delighting in the collective bustle across the college spaces. From the residential team to the Interest Groups that took part, every booth reflected a sliver of our colourful community.
Never did I imagine back then as a student that this ground-up initiative of mine would become a staple college event! As a full-time staff with NUS College now, I have come full circle organising The Collective Faire. I am excited to support other projects that aim to build up this community, those that nurture meaningful conversations and deep relationships that transcend the transactional.
Submitted by Ms Bianca Tham (Arts and Social Sciences '17).