Have you been bored recently? Want a little spontaneous excitement? Then, peek at our list of Try What Now — a series dedicated to showing what you (and your family and friends) can experience in Singapore for the coming month!
Start 2024 off right and embrace the dawn of a brand-new year with a burst of energy and a resolution to dive headfirst into new experiences! Singapore continues to paint the town with festivals and art exhibitions that promise to make your January much more exciting. Get ready to ignite your passions, fulfil resolutions, and embrace the thrill of cultural extravaganzas that sets the stage for an unforgettable year ahead!
Light to Night Singapore 2024
Be mesmerised in the heart of the Civic District as Light to Night by National Gallery Singapore returns. This edition promises an immersive experience with over 60 artworks and programs redefining the boundaries of art and lifestyle.
Breaking free from convention, Light to Night Singapore 2024 embraces the theme Reimagine, challenging festival-goers to explore art in unconventional ways. Dive into a world where touching and feeling artworks is not only allowed but encouraged, with interactive installations inviting you to become an integral part of the artistic experience.
As the night falls, National Gallery Singapore extends its opening hours until 11pm on weekends. It offers free entry to exhibitions, including the blockbuster “Tropical: Stories from Southeast Asia and Latin America.” Join the nocturnal art revelry and let your imagination run wild. The Art X Social Festival Village at St Andrew Road invites festival-goers to refuel with delectable bites and drinks before continuing their exploration of live performances and thought-provoking conversations within the National Gallery to enrich the artistic scene of the Civic District.
🗓️Date: 19 January to 8 February 2024
📍Location: Civic District
💲Price: Free Admission, with ticketed programs
⏰Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm (Monday – Friday), 10am to 11pm (Weekends)
Check out our article on Light to Night 2024 for a more in-depth look at the installations! To book your tickets, visit the National Gallery Singapore website.
Singapore Art Week 2024
Singapore Art Week (SAW) returns, transforming Singapore into a vibrant mosaic of over 130 visual arts experiences. In its 12th edition, SAW 2024 positions Singapore at the forefront of the visual arts scene, boasting a remarkable showcase of international art fairs, quality museum exhibitions, and gallery openings to street art, brand activations, lifestyle, and community art activities, SAW will redefine the visual arts landscape for Singapore and the region.
SAW 2024 promises a city alive with innovative art experiences, exhibitions, fairs, and curators showcasing the best of visual arts. From the iconic Light to Night Festival to ART SG and S.E.A. Focus, Singapore’s reputation as a regional arts hub shines. Join the vibrant arts season in January and be inspired by Singapore’s diverse range of art experiences!
🗓️ Date: 19 to 28 January 2024
📍 Location: Across Singapore
💲 Price: Free Admission, with ticketed programs
Eager to find out more about the plethora of exhibitions across Singapore? Visit the Singapore Art Week website for more information.
Artbox 2024
Hold onto your excitement because ARTBOX Singapore is back, and it’s gearing up for an even more colossal affair over two action-packed weekends. Get ready to dive into a world of art, food, shopping, jaw-dropping performances, and a whole lot more!
ARTBOX Singapore 2024 promises a larger-than-life experience, taking up the sprawling space of the Singapore Expo. This indoor all-day night festival is set to dazzle with over 100 food stalls offering a global feast covering Western, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Taiwanese delights. Picture this: 105,000 square feet of sheer excitement in Singapore Expo Hall 2, featuring captivating performances, competitions with enticing cash prizes, and a shopping and culinary adventure like never before! Be sure to prepare your shopping bags as well because ARTBOX Singapore is bringing 140 retail outlets to satisfy every shopaholic’s dream!
This year, brace yourself for two exciting additions: Central Avenue and Open Plaza. Central Avenue will captivate you with a three-level display of creatively decorated shipping containers adorned with traffic lights, neon signs, graffiti, and street signs, offering dynamic floor-to-ceiling designs for Instagram-worthy moments. At Open Plaza, a hub of immersive activities and craft workshops, you can customise sneakers, craft T-shirts, design phone charms, or showcase your singing prowess at the KTV containers.
🗓️Date: 26 to 28 January, 2 to 4 February 2024
📍Location: Singapore Expo, Hall 2, 1 Expo Dr, Singapore 486150
💲Price: From S$6 (Weekdays), From S$7 (Weekends)
⏰Opening Hours: 12 pm to 11 pm
You can grab your tickets right now by visiting the Artbox website!
Prix Pictet Humans
Discover a multitude of visual landscapes at the Prix Pictet Human Exhibition, which brings you the brilliance of twelve extraordinary photographers who captured the essence of our shared humanity. From the vast landscapes of Rajasthan to the heart-wrenching stories of South American children, these artists explore the intricate nature of our existence.
Witness the power of photography as Gauri Gill, winner of the Prix Pictet Human Award 2024, champions “active listening” in Indian communities. Meanwhile, Federico Ríos Escobar, the People’s Choice winner in 2024, unveils the poignant realities of the migrant journey through the treacherous Darién Gap.
Delve into the compelling narratives of photographers from Iran to Iceland, capturing the disappearing homelands of indigenous people, the aftermath of violence in Ukraine, and the dreams of post-Hurricane Katrina children in New Orleans. Each frame speaks volumes about the critical issues of our time.
Don’t miss this captivating exhibition that goes beyond the surface, inviting you to ponder our role as stewards of the planet—Prix Pictet Human – Where Photography Meets Sustainability.
🗓️Date: 7 to 29 January 2024
📍Location: SOTA Art Gallery, 1 Zubir Said Dr, Singapore 227968
💲Price: Free Admission
⏰Opening Hours: 8:30 am to 6 pm (Monday – Friday)
To learn more about the exhibition and the featured photographers, visit the Prix Pictet website.
Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2024
Celebrate the vibrant festivities as we usher in the Year of the Dragon with the enchanting Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2024 by immersing yourself in a celebration that transcends generations and invites all to revel in the spirit of renewal.
Mark your calendars for a spirited weekend filled with captivating programmes and activities suitable for all ages. From the mesmerising lion dance to the rhythmic beats of festive drumming workshops, the air will be alive with the energy of celebration!
Embark on temple tours and heritage trails, uncovering the rich cultural heritage surrounding the festival. Engage in storytelling sessions that transport you to worlds of ancient tales and let your creativity flourish with craft activities designed for the little ones. Don’t miss the chance to capture your Lunar New Year outfits amidst the grandeur of the ginormous lawn installation.
🗓️Date: 16 January to 25 February 2024
📍Location: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, 12 Tai Gin Rd, Singapore 327874
💲Price: Free Admission
⏰Opening Hours: 10 am to 7 pm
Embrace the upcoming Lunar New Year early by visiting the Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2024! More information can be found by visiting the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall website.
Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2024
Get ready for an explosion of creativity as Arts House Limited presents the Aliwal Urban Art Festival (AUAF), a dynamic showcase led by the vibrant talents of Aliwal Arts Centre (AAC) tenants and renowned local urban art groups. Held at AAC, this festival promises an electrifying day of street art, music, dance, and more right in the heart of Kampong Gelam’s cultural enclave.
Feel the adrenaline as GraffFIGHT X finalists battle for supremacy in a live graffiti competition. AAC’s surroundings will come alive with live painting sessions, including new feature wall murals. Explore the Kampong Gelam precinct through the alternative walking tour, D’Tour, immersing yourself in larger-than-life murals and street art.
The three-story arts centre will pulse with energy, featuring performances by percussion ensemble NADI Singapura, improvised theatre group The Improv Company, and captivating dance performances by Kalpavriksha Fine Arts and Chowk Productions. Dive into post-performance artist talks and unleash your creativity in workshops facilitated by Nine Years Theatre and DASSAD.
Discover unique wares at the Pop-Up Market, a treasure trove of local creatives brought together by The Social Exchange. As night falls, immerse yourself in curated hip-hop acts by The Linch Agency, culminating in a vibrant Re:Union Party featuring dynamic street dance duo ScRach MarcS against the graffiti-laden backdrop of Kampong Gelam.
🗓️Date: 27 January 2024
📍Location: Aliwal Arts Centre, 28 Aliwal St, Singapore 199918
💲Price: Free Admission
⏰Opening Hours: 9 am to 11 pm
You can learn more about the featured artists and programs by visiting the Art House Limited website.
Dahlia Dreams 2024
Gardens by the Bay is set to transform the iconic Flower Dome into a spectacular haven with the arrival of Dahlia Dreams. This enchanting showcase promises to immerse visitors in a mesmerising tapestry of natural wonders, marking the beginning of a legendary new year of renewal!
Dahlia Dreams unfolds within the lush embrace of the Garden Dome, where nature’s artistry takes centre stage. Majestic dahlias, renowned for their intricate beauty, share the spotlight with mighty dragons, infusing the air with an irresistible aura of strength and mystery.
As you wander through the showcase, witness the majestic dragons coexisting with the splendid dahlias. The mythical creatures add a touch of awe-inspiring mystery, inviting visitors to embrace the symbolism of strength and renewal that the dragons embody. Take the chance to be captivated by the breathtaking beauty of dahlias and the mystical charm of dragons at Gardens by the Bay!
🗓️Date: 19 January to 25 February 2024
📍Location: Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
💲Price: S$12 (Standard Entry Ticket)
⏰Opening Hours: 9 am to 9 pm
Find out more about Dahlia Dreams and purchase your tickets at the Gardens by the Bay website.
*SCAPE Presents comma,
Prepare for a revolutionary fusion of creativity as *SCAPE unveils its inaugural creative arts festival, “comma,“. This month-long extravaganza aims to inspire, showcase, and celebrate the diverse talents of Singapore’s youth across various artistic disciplines.
This year’s theme is Disruption, offering an exhilarating array of performances encouraging everyone to explore and uncover new talents. The street-dance production, Homeground, will spotlight the exceptional skills of street-dance artists, while K-pop Random Play Dance welcomes K-Pop enthusiasts to unleash their best dance moves to the latest hits.
In addition, there will be compelling art exhibitions such as Scars, Skins and Styles: Phygital Transfigurations, delving into the realm of mental health. Furthermore, attendees can partake in a music-themed zine-making workshop, providing an opportunity to adorn a zine with favourite songs, cherished concert memories, and captivating images.
🗓️Date: 12 to 28 January 2024
📍Location: *SCAPE, 2 Orchard Link, Singapore 237978
💲Price: Free Admission, with ticketed programs
⏰Opening Hours: 10:30 am to 10:30 pm
For more information on the programs at *SCAPE during comma, visit the *SCAPE website.
ART SG 2024
Prepare for a dazzling art affair as ART SG returns to Marina Bay Sands. This highly anticipated international art fair will bring together 115 exceptional galleries from 33 countries and territories, transforming the Sands Expo and Convention Centre into a haven for contemporary art.
ART SG, recognised as Singapore and Southeast Asia’s premier international art fair, is back for its second edition, promising a spectacular experience at the heart of Singapore. The fair boasts curated gallery presentations, monumental installations, insightful conversations, a captivating film sector, and city-wide activations in collaboration with Singapore Art Week.
The 2024 edition will showcase 68 leading international and regional galleries, presenting multi-disciplinary works encompassing painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, photography, video, and digital art. FOCUS, a sector with 36 presentations, spotlights galleries with curated programs, emphasising artistic development, exploring different mediums, especially digital art and new media, and promoting emerging to mid-career artists.
🗓️Date: 19 to 21 January 2024
📍Location: Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956
💲Price: S$32 (Weekdays), S$38 (Weekends)
⏰Opening Hours: 12 pm to 7pm (Friday), 11 am to 7 pm (Saturday), 11 am to 5 pm (Sunday)
To purchase your tickets or to learn more about the featured artists of ART SG 2024, visit the ART SG website.
Like any of the selections we have for you this month, or should we include others in this list or the next? Let us know at [email protected], or slide into our DMs on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. See you next month!
Visuals courtesy of Prix Pictet Human, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Light to Night Singapore, Art House Limited, National Arts Council, Artbox Singapore, *SCAPE, and ART SG.
