SIFA – Singapore International Festival of Arts 2026 promises explorations of play and tradition under new festival director Chong Tze Chien

by D.Y. The Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) has been an annual highlight of the local Arts calendar, inviting artists and enthusiasts alike to create meaningful experiences through its extensive programmes. Yet, this year’s edition is looking to be a particularly exciting one as the mantle of Festival Director is passed on from Natalie Hennedige to first-timer Chong Tze Chien. Running from 15 to … Continue reading SIFA – Singapore International Festival of Arts 2026 promises explorations of play and tradition under new festival director Chong Tze Chien

Nathania Ong returns home to star as Elle Woods in Singapore Repertory Theatre’s ‘Legally Blonde’

When Elle Woods steps into Harvard Law, she’s armed not just with pink heels and impeccable hair, but with an unshakeable belief in herself, and a community of women who have her back. This July, that spirit of confidence and camaraderie returns to Singapore in a glossy, contemporary new production of Legally Blonde – The Musical, led by one of our country’s most accomplished theatre … Continue reading Nathania Ong returns home to star as Elle Woods in Singapore Repertory Theatre’s ‘Legally Blonde’

Visual Art: Jeon Byeong Sam explores AI and Identity through his art at SAW 2026

Singapore Art Week 2026 is set to unfold across the city with its signature blend of global creativity and cultural dialogue, and one of its most anticipated highlights comes from Korean contemporary artist Jeon Byeong Sam, who will host two large-scale solo exhibitions across some of Singapore’s most iconic heritage landmarks. Opening on January 22, 2026, Jeon’s dual exhibitions will take over Capitol Singapore and … Continue reading Visual Art: Jeon Byeong Sam explores AI and Identity through his art at SAW 2026

Visual Art: An interview with artist Shuang Li on ‘Alliance’, and Kim Association’s Alan Lo

In a city engineered for smooth circulation, of people, data, and capital, Alliance arrives as a quiet interruption. The exhibition marks Shuang Li’s first solo presentation in Southeast Asia and unfolds at Kim Association, a new project space in Singapore dedicated to transnational Asian practices. Anchored in Li’s recent work with storm chasing and livestreamed weather phenomena, the exhibition considers how contemporary life is shaped … Continue reading Visual Art: An interview with artist Shuang Li on ‘Alliance’, and Kim Association’s Alan Lo

Preview: SCO launches 《春乐满狮城》(Spring Melodies of the Lion City), first CNY album in over a decade

If Chinese New Year in Singapore had a soundtrack for 2026, this would be it. After more than a decade, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is welcoming the festive season with a brand-new Chinese New Year album — one that feels both comfortingly familiar and unmistakably local. Titled 《春乐满狮城》(Spring Melodies of the Lion City), the digital release reimagines traditional New Year tunes through a Singapore … Continue reading Preview: SCO launches 《春乐满狮城》(Spring Melodies of the Lion City), first CNY album in over a decade

Arts of Hong Kong: M+’s facade features Shahzia Sikander’s ‘3 to 12 Nautical Miles’

HONG KONG – If you find yourself walking along Victoria Harbour this spring, look up. Stretching across the M+ Facade after dark is 3 to 12 Nautical Miles, a hypnotic new animation by Shahzia Sikander that turns centuries of global trade, empire, and maritime power into a slow-moving, painterly spectacle. Made from hand-painted watercolours and animated on a monumental scale, the work feels both intimate … Continue reading Arts of Hong Kong: M+’s facade features Shahzia Sikander’s ‘3 to 12 Nautical Miles’

Arts of Hong Kong: M+ proudly presents ‘Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now’ this March

HONG KONG – This spring, Hong Kong’s skyline of glass and steel finds an unexpected mirror inside M+. From March 2026, the museum will host Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now, a sweeping, immersive exhibition that charts nearly three decades of work by one of Asia’s most influential contemporary artists. It is ambitious, visually arresting, and uncannily timely, the kind of show that lingers long … Continue reading Arts of Hong Kong: M+ proudly presents ‘Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now’ this March

Visual Art: Ibrahim Mahama’s Digging Stars makes art of care and caring

Ibrahim Mahama’s Digging Stars unfolds not only as an exhibition, but as a proposition for how art might be made, shared, and sustained under conditions of structural inequality and scarcity. While the works on view trace material histories of colonialism, trade, and industrial labour, the exhibition also gestures toward a broader set of questions: where does art take place, who is it for, and what … Continue reading Visual Art: Ibrahim Mahama’s Digging Stars makes art of care and caring

Visual Art: Wan Hai Hotel – Singapore Strait turns the Warehouse Hotel into living art

For twelve days in January, The Warehouse Hotel ceases to function merely as a site of transit and hospitality. Instead, it becomes something more porous, more unstable, and more alive. As part of Singapore Art Week 2026, Wan Hai Hotel: Singapore Strait transforms the hotel lobby into a speculative maritime commons, one in which performance, sound, moving image, and object-based works unfolded not as static … Continue reading Visual Art: Wan Hai Hotel – Singapore Strait turns the Warehouse Hotel into living art

★★★★☆ Theatre Review: Invisible by ART:DIS & The Necessary Stage

Unexpectedly tender production offers an accessible, educational glimpse at hidden disabilities. As much as Singapore has made visible efforts to dispel myths around disability and create space for greater awareness, the hard truth is that many persons with disabilities (PwDs) still feel out of place in a world designed primarily for the non-disabled. Being labelled ‘disabled’ often comes with the fear of being perceived as … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: Invisible by ART:DIS & The Necessary Stage