Marina Bay Sands is reaffirming its commitment to the development of Singapore’s arts scene through a S$500,000 donation to invest in the future of emerging art forms and innovative creators. This contribution is part of the integrated resort’s efforts to drive impact and inspire change through its community engagement programme, Sands Cares, under which support for the arts is a key pillar.

The donation marks the establishment of the Sands Innovative Arts Fund under the National Arts Council (NAC)’s Sustain the Arts Fund (stART Fund), which boosts small arts groups’ efforts and to give a head start towards long-term sustainability. This move exemplifies Marina Bay Sands’ dedication to nurturing emerging talent and their efforts to leverage new technologies in artmaking and audience engagement, providing opportunities for growth to the creative community.

The Sands Innovative Arts Fund marks one of the biggest donations Marina Bay Sands has made in support of the arts since its 2010 opening. The Fund aims to support emerging artists in their creative outreach to the community, as they explore new technologies and innovative ways of artmaking and audience engagement. This donation to stART Fund may also be eligible for dollar-for-dollar matching under the Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth’s (MCCY) Cultural Matching Fund which will raise the total contributions up to S$1 million to further the growth of emerging artists and small arts organisations in Singapore.

The donation follows the recent signing of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Marina Bay Sands and the NAC, cementing the integrated resort’s commitment to become a platform for the arts. The strategic alliance aims to transform Marina Bay Sands into a vibrant canvas, offering a unique blend of cultural experiences for event organisers and delegates.

“The arts have the power to inspire, challenge, and transform communities. Through the Sands Innovative Arts Fund, Marina Bay Sands is proud to play a role in shaping the future of the arts scene in Singapore. This donation reflects our commitment to fostering creativity and innovation in the arts space for future generations,” said Mr Paul Town, Chief Operating Officer, Marina Bay Sands.

Ms Lynette Pang, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NAC, said, “The generous contributions of Marina Bay Sands will support the longer-term sustainability and visibility of emerging artists. We are excited to see the creativity and diversity of arts programmes supported by the new Fund. To nurture a strong culture of giving to the arts, we look forward to seeing more likeminded partners and private sector organisations come on board to build an arts scene that collectively, we will all be proud of.”

Marina Bay Sands and NAC are inviting the arts community in Singapore to apply for the Sands Innovative Arts Fund, under the stART Fund. Interested applicants can submit their proposals via the Open Call from today until 29 February 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by 18 June 2024. For more information, visit the stART Fund page on the NAC website.

The launch of the Sands Innovative Arts Fund coincides with the much-anticipated Singapore Art Week, taking place across Singapore from 19 – 28 January 2024. Concurrently, Marina Bay Sands is hosting the second edition of Where Art Takes Shape, an immersive celebration designed to inspire and captivate art enthusiasts and the broader community across the entire property. Over 19-21 January, the integrated resort welcomed international art delegates to the second edition of ART SG – Southeast Asia’s leading international art fair – at Sands Expo & Convention Centre.

Marina Bay Sands has been a supporter of the arts since its inception in 2010, championing the creative spirit and providing vital assistance to budding artists striving to showcase their work. One of the most visible displays of this commitment lies in its Art Path programme, a speciallycommissioned site-specific installation of 11 large-scale pieces of public art, such as the Rain Oculus and Wind Arbor by Ned Kahn and Drift by Antony Gormley.

More information about the stART Fund available here