You know it, you’ve seen it and you may have even been anticipating it. That’s right, INVADE’s ARTBOX 2025 is here, themed as ARTBOX EVERYDAY! Art is everywhere in our lives, even if we don’t consciously notice it. From adorable keychains and charms hanging from your bags to the designs on your water bottles and phone cases – it’s all art, regardless of how colourful or minimalistic they may be.

People tend to forget that art isn’t just about what’s displayed in museums, but don’t worry ARTBOX is here to remind everyone. Step into this vibrant hub filled with creativity, culture and art in all its forms. Running over the course of two weekends – 17 to 19 January and 24 to 26 January 2025 – get ready to delve into a fusion of art, food and retail with vendors hailing from Singapore, Thailand, Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. If you’ve been to past events like these, who knows, you might even spot familiar names and faces.
This year’s ARTBOX also saw the start of two new features: the ARTBOX Express and ARTBOX Trade Day. ARTBOX Express is a dedicated shuttle service from *SCAPE in town to ARTBOX in the east for just S$0.50 that runs at regular intervals. Featuring two buses that have been taken over by Chang Beer and PacificLight, the vehicles are filled to the brim with artistic designs, allowing passengers a taste of what is to come at ARTBOX.
ARTBOX Trade Day is another highlight of this year’s ARTBOX. Set on 16 January, a day before the event is officially open to the public, Trade Day was created as a means to foster meaningful connections between vendors, landlords, and business professionals to further develop the creative economy.
ARTBOX Estate
As you first step into ARTBOX 2025, visitors are immediately welcomed by ARTBOX Estate. This area is chockful of different sections from the Open Mic session powered by Teo Heng to the Aliwal Chess Club to the ARTBOX Convenience Store. With bright colourful containers and dim lighting, this section felt super retro and vibey. With so many spaces to roam about or just sit and chill, there is no doubt that this estate is ideal for a hangout!
For families that want to visit but are worried about where to leave their children, ARTBOX 2025 introduces Mini Box, ARTBOX’s First Ever Child Enrichment Centre. Drop your kids off at this enrichment centre and they’ll stay entertained for hours as you roam about and explore the event. Filled with different activities that change every hour, rest assured that the little ones will not only stay occupied but also be able to let their imagination run wild. From storytelling, music & movement, rainbow crafts, and t-shirt doodling, this is a playtime befit of an event like ARTBOX.
Outside of retail and food, you should certainly take your time here as well. Whether it’s getting your caricature done or stopping for a round of games with your friends, there’s bound to be something for you here at ARTBOX Estate. However, my favourite part is the workshops, from DIY postcards to upcycling, and the one I tried my hand at – perfume making.

Situated at the first booth in the workshops area, Nowlater Studio has two activities for perfume enthusiasts to try their hand at: the Perfume Bar and the Perfume Workshop. The Perfume Workshop allows you to make your very own perfume from scratch as you blend different scents into your signature scent. The Perfume Bar, the one I tried out, is a simpler version, where you mix a maximum of three pre-existing perfumes into one scent.
Simple and straightforward, don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations if you’re like me and have an inclination towards certain scents! Both activities will allow you to walk away with a 10ml atomiser that you can enjoy and indulge in your customised perfume! Wanna check out their perfume line and smell them for yourself? Visit their website or check out their studio!
Eat Until You Can’t Move
With a whole section just dedicated to food, you’d be spoiled for choice. This year sees the first time ARTBOX has food trucks as well, so make sure you come on an empty stomach! It was a shame that we could only sample such a small handful (if you could even call it that) of food vendors but they are most certainly worth the calories. Here’s a tip: if you’re here with a large group, just share everything instead of getting a portion each – you’ll get to taste a lot more options that way!

SOHTT
Looks like I got addicted to SOHTT’s mochi croffles – but seriously, can you blame me? After my first taste at Sentosa Grillfest, you bet imma be reaching them at every event I see the store at. Fresh off the waffle maker, I swear these are the closest I’ll get to heaven – perfectly crispy dough on the outside but warm and stretchy mochi on the inside.
Good things are to be shared so my colleagues and I split a box of three (S$13) among us, featuring one with Lotus Biscoff, another with cinnamon sugar and the flavour of my heart: Milo Dino, where milo powder is slathered generously on a warm bed of croffle as condensed milk is drizzled and dripping down the pastry. Tasting as fire as before, I truly have not tried a pastry that outperforms this one. Words cannot describe how good these croffles are so you just have to try them yourself!
And with SOHTT, there was also bubble tea. This round, I grabbed the Hazelnut Milk Tea with aloe vera (S$7.20), as a standby in case anything became too overwhelming or savoury. Smooth and classic, it did lean a bit sweeter than I would have preferred – I got it at 25% – so do adjust the drink to your favoured taste.
My Cow Bae by The Swag Social

Now that we’ve settled the sweet, let’s go for the savoury. And there’s nothing better than beef! A classic bite at these types of events and festivals, we got 200g of Yakiniku Ribeye Beef Cubes from My Cow Bae by The Swag Social (S$18) with a side on an onsen egg. Not even kidding, we had to take a walk after a taste of the beef – it was just that good!
Similar to how they prepare it at a teppanyaki restaurant, these beef cubes were cooked on a flat metal surface live, so you could watch your beef prepared right in front of you. Seared and then seasoned, these cubes are soft and tender – no overcooked meat here! Each bite oozes the signature umami that can only come from beef and before you know it, the entire box is gonna be empty. Dip the cubes in the runny egg and you’ve got a recipe for success!
Kwazy Korndog

Now if you’re a fan of both the sweet and salty, check out the corndogs from Kwazy Korndog! We got the set of four corndogs (S$32) and split them amongst ourselves. Now, I’m not that big of a corndog fan – or really, mixing sweet and savoury in general – but I was down to give it a try. We got three flavours: the classic, the cheese and the potato corndogs.
Coated with sugar, the corndogs look absolutely stunning when served. Picking up the cheese corndog from its little cardboard bed, the warm lighting from the festival glistened off the deep-fried surface of the corndog. Biting in, I could hear the audible crunch of its crisp outer before transitioning into the soft pillowy cheese.
Pulling away, I saw the classic satisfying cheese pull, as the strands stretched and snapped. While the visuals were certainly beautiful, the taste was nothing mind-blowing. Granted, I never liked corndogs, so perhaps it’s just me. So be sure to try it out yourselves!
Shop Your Heart Out

And of course, we have shopping! In full honesty, I was not expecting to buy anything. So why did I leave a S$92-shaped hole in my wallet? With over 150 retail vendors that hail not just from Singapore but also from Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia and Hong Kong, I’m sure you’ll leave ARTBOX 2025 with at least one paper bag.
Whether it’s adorable DIY trinkets, a new bag or even a Jagua tattoo you’re looking for, you’ll find them here. With fashion from Thailand, perfume from Hong Kong and accessories from all over, you’d be set if you were in need of (or simply wanted, who am I to judge) a wardrobe spruce. Whether it’s everyday essentials like a reusable drink carrier or an adorable ceramic cup, add some colour and spice into your everyday lives with the offerings these vendors have to offer!

The most intriguing part for me was the K-beauty street. With offerings from iconic brands like SKIN1004, RoundLab and Beauty of Joseon as well as rising stars like NEEDLY and my personal favorite brand of lip tints Laka. Listen, I’m a major skincare girlie, and with K-skincare comes K-makeup products as well. Never have I been more in my element than I have in this little section of the event. With aesthetic displays of different products just tempting me, it took all my willpower and then some to resist.
ARTBOX EVERYDAY

There’s art in your every day and ARTBOX EVERYDAY is here to spotlight it! ARTBOX never fails to charm and attract visitors of all kinds of ages. This massive meeting point of everything art is absolutely something everyone should check out at least once.
Beyond just supporting the vendors at the different booths, being at the vent and seeing how art has manifested in all its physical forms is an experience in and of itself. There’s only one weekend left to go, so be sure to grab your tickets now and don’t miss out on all the charming knick-knacks and mouthwatering eats ARTBOX 2025 has to offer!
🗓️Date: 24 – 26 January 2025
📍Location: Singapore Expo Hall 4, 1 Expo Dr, Singapore 486150
💲Price: S$7 on weekdays, S$8 on weekends
⏰Time: 12pm – 11pm
Photos by Grace Lee of the DANAMIC Team