Pop-up ATMs have been appearing all over Shenton Way. But before you head there to withdraw extra cash for your CNY angbaos or post-lunch bubble tea fund, don’t. These machines aren’t giving out money – they’re dispensing poems instead.
Called the Art Teller Machines, this is a new initiative by the Singapore Art Museum. And it’s having us focus on art instead of capitalism, which is exactly what we need right now.
In the middle of Singapore’s most corporate stretch, someone decided to remix the most serious symbol of adulthood: the ATM. Instead of spitting out transaction slips and reminding you of your dwindling bank balance, these reimagined “Art Teller Machines” print out original poems.
Screenshot from: @downtowngallerysg via Instagram
Each “withdrawal” gives you a receipt-style strip featuring a poetic barter written by Pooja Nansi, a Singaporean poet and performer. Plus, it’s free.
The installation was created with support from StoryFest Singapore and The Everyday Museum, with locations curated by Studio29, a creative studio that has worked with various venue partners across the district. It’s part of Story Hosts, a month-long art, design, and literary response to the sights and stories of the CBD.
Screenshot from: @downtowngallerysg via Instagram
And the ATMs themselves are super cute, with googly eyes and a button that lights up with the words “press me for a poem”. Think of it as withdrawing feelings instead of funds.
Screenshot from: @downtowngallerysg via Instagram
These poetic ATMs are popping up at 6 locations along Shenton Way:
Image credit: @themerrymenworks via Instagram
They’ll be around now till 28th February 2026, so you’ve got time to swing by during your lunch break or after-work stroll and “withdraw” a verse or two.
We stan art that pops up around the island, especially when it’s located right in the middle of the hectic CBD. Whether you’re working in the area and need an afternoon pick-me-up or just want a piece of Pooja Nansi’s poems for yourself, we suggest going on a hunt to find these adorable machines.
For more art happenings in Singapore:
Cover image adapted from: @downtowngallerysg via Instagram
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