have been encouraged by the government in recent years as part of Singapore's efforts to recast itself as a "Renaissance City" and global arts city. These public art works require permission from the government; unauthorized public art and graffiti are subject to legal penalties under the Vandalism Act in Singapore. Many murals depict scenes common to Singapore's cultural heritage. In 2013, Singapore launched the "PubliCity" program, which designated two blank walls along the Rail Corridor for urban art. The Rail Corridor, once a railway line between Singapore and Malaysia, had closed in 2011. Artwork along the walls of the Rail Corridor is curated by RSCLS, a local art collective. In 2014, the National Arts Council set up the Public Art Trust which provided both a public spaces program in which artists' proposals and willing site owners are matched up, as well as six walls at Goodman Arts Centre, Aliwal Arts Centre, and *Scape youth centre for practice spaces. Performing arts Singapore is also known as a cultural centre for arts and culture, including theatre and music. Symbols, flags, and emblems Singapore has a number of national symbols. The National Flag of Singapore has been used since 1959, when the country first gained self-governance. The symbolism behind the flag consists of its elements; the red symbolises "universal brotherhood and equality of man", and white symbolises "pervading and everlasting purity and virtue". The waxing crescent moon represents a "young nation on the ascendant". The five stars stand for the nation's ideals of "democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality". The Merlion is the national personification of Singapore. Depicted as a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, it is of a prominent symbolic nature to Singapore and Singaporeans in general. The Merlion's body symbolises Singapore's humble beginnings as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which comes from the same root as the word tasek or "lake" in Malay. Its head represents Singapore’s original name, Singapura, or "Lion City" in Malay. Merlion statues can be found in various locations throughout the country, and are usually facing east, as it is believed to be a direction that brings prosperity. Such an orientation was preserved when a statue was relocated in 2002 to the Merlion Park, located in the Marina Bay area. The Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim, colloquially known as the Vanda Miss Joaquim, serves as a floral