17 January to 6 February 2025


The National Gallery Singapore will host Light to Night Singapore 2025, a distinguished event within Singapore Art Week. This year, the highly anticipated festival returns, emphasizing the contributions of visionary local artists and encouraging attendees to “see and be seen,” as it investigates the diverse and multifaceted identities present within our communities under the theme “Do You See Me?”. This significant theme highlights the Gallery’s collaboration with an array of artists and programs, presenting unique perspectives, including those from underrepresented communities.

Across a span of three remarkable weeks from 17 January to 6 February 2025, Singapore’s Civic District is set to illuminate with more than 70 artistic works and programs, featuring radiant projection mappings on notable cultural landmarks, substantial art installations, and interactive public initiatives designed to engage and immerse participants. Individuals of all ages are cordially invited to foster connections through the appreciation of the arts.

Ms Ong Zhen Min, Executive Director of Light to Night Singapore 2025, said, “Guided by the theme, ‘Do You See Me?’, Light to Night Singapore 2025 explores the complex identities that make up our communities to prompt new perspectives on self, others, diversity and belonging. These resonate with the important milestones of the nation’s 60^th birthday and the Gallery’s 10^th anniversary, and we hope festival-goers will experience the impact and power of the arts in shaping discoveries of self and community through our exciting festival line-up.”

Light to Night Singapore is supported by Development Partner Tote Board, Strategic Partner National Arts Council, Supporter CapitaLand, and matched by the Cultural Matching Fund. Mr Tan Choon Shian, Chief Executive of Tote Board, says, “Light to Night Singapore’s focus on identity captures our nation’s journey as we come together to deepen our sense of belonging and create lasting memories through community friendships, in celebration of SG60. Tote Board supports the festival once again this year, reaffirming our commitment to enriching Singapore’s vibrant arts scene and uniting diverse communities to build a caring, cohesive, and resilient society.”

The festival honours visionary artists who have shaped the vibrant visual arts scene and embody a bold sense of innovation. 

• Renowned local sculptor and Cultural Medallion recipient Han Sai Por presents “Travelling Through the Tropical Rainforest,” the centerpiece of the Padang. Her signature style, characterized by natural and organic forms—typically manifested in her stone sculptures—will be transformed into six impressive, large-scale inflatable sculptures that evoke the appearance of tropical palms. Positioned against the urban backdrop and crafted from synthetic materials, this work serves as a commentary on the relationship between natural and urban environments within a city’s evolving landscape.

Since 2016, the Gallery has invited veteran and emerging artists from Singapore and Southeast Asia to create projection mapping works for Art Skins on Monuments, illuminating the facades of the cultural institutions across the Civic District during the festival. 

• This year, the works of three distinguished artists will be prominently featured on the Gallery’s façade, specifically the late printmaker and Cultural Medallion recipient Chng Seok Tin, painter and Cultural Medallion recipient Goh Beng Kwan, and the late batik artist Jaafar Latiff. The projection mapping works by Chng Seok Tin and Jaafar Latiff, developed in partnership with the Indonesian multimedia design studio ARAFURA, represent the inaugural showcase of the legacies of these esteemed late artists on the Art Skins on Monuments. This endeavor was made possible through meticulous collaboration with their respective artist estates.

• The projection mappings on the facades of the Asian Civilisations Museum, The Arts House at the Old Parliament, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, as well as the dome roof of the Gallery’s Rotunda Library & Archive, will prominently feature projection works created by local artists Song-Ming Ang, Kapilan Naidu, TraseOne, along with contributions from students of School of The Arts, Singapore (SOTA).
  
  

– Projection skin designed by SOTA students.

“Do You See Me?” – To see and be seen 

The theme, “Do You See Me?” is an invitation for festival-goers to see and be seen as they contemplate and unpack what may be regarded as conventional perceptions, and how they might see things from a different perspective and continue to envision our futures.

• In line with the Gallery’s aim of fostering and inspiring a thoughtful and inclusive society, Claire Teo’s multi-sensory installation Through The Looking Glass inspired by her experiences as a visually impaired individual, and TraseOne’s light projection Now You See Us? on the evolution of Singapore’s graffiti scene (projected on the facade of The Arts House at the Old Parliament), shed light on lesser seen communities in Singapore, while also serving as a platform for them to tell their stories. 

• Light to Night Singapore 2025 will also be one of the stops of the travelling photo showcase for the International Migrants Day Photo Contest 2024, in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower, to spotlight the talents and passion of the local migrant community.

Festival-goers are also encouraged to explore the stories and histories that make up Singapore’s cultural and social fabric. 

• In Return to Paradise (Play) located at Funan’s Underground Pedestrian Link, local artist Beverley Ng showcases Singapore in the 2000s as a time of carefree adventures and creativity. The installation features depictions of arcades, theme parks, and pasar malams as nostalgic sites of unforgettable memories. An extension of this work, Return to Paradise, will also be showcased at the Gallery’s Padang Atrium Corridor. 

• We’ll Make Heaven a Place on Earth by art collective Arterly Obsessed at the Asian Civilisations Museum, ACM Green is inspired by the timeless beauty of pagodas and the pursuit of spiritual connection. Visitors are invited to engage with the artwork’s inner structure, an infinity room illuminated by colourful LED lights. 

• Blades, Shrapnel is a performative installation that features a roving live performance art piece by local artist Ang Song Nian held at the Padang and Empress Lawn on selected days during the festival. The performance uses laser-emitting grass cutters to simulate synchronised grass-cutting activities, drawing attention to the unseen efforts that exist alongside our manicured landscapes. The grass cutters will be on display at the Gallery’s Former Supreme Court Foyer throughout the festival. 

• A Little Bead of Work by the visionary Singaporean artist Kray Chen transforms the Outdoor Lawn of The Arts House at the Old Parliament into a mesmerizing interactive experience! Imagine thousands of glow-in-the-dark alphabet beads sparkling under the night sky, inviting every visitor to unleash their creativity by stringing together words and crafting beautiful bracelets. This enchanting installation is a delightful fusion of high art and pop culture that beckons you to engage, play, and connect.

  Editor’s note: Make sure to grab your complimentary beads at the grass pod located right next to the Old Parliament!

Bringing festival-goers together with something for everyone 

Art lovers, experience seekers, families, and friend groups are in for a thrilling journey at Light to Night Singapore, where captivating, immersive experiences and exhilarating programmes await to ignite your senses and create unforgettable memories.

• Experience the magic of the Art X Social: Festival Street at St Andrew’s Road, as it comes alive for the very first time over three exhilarating weekends! Indulge in a stunning array of delectable food and beverage options that will tantalize your taste buds, all while being swept away by captivating live performances and immersive games that will ignite your spirit!
  

• The Singapore Courtyard at the Gallery will undergo a magnificent transformation into The Living Room, a vibrant communal haven brimming with whimsical, cardboard-based furniture and enchanting lighting. Festival-goers are invited to bask in the magic of this space, engaging in exhilarating interactive activities and programs, including inspiring artist talks, hands-on art workshops, and electrifying DJ sets by EATMEPOPTART, all seamlessly woven into the festival’s captivating theme.

• Festival-goers can eagerly anticipate an exhilarating array of ticketed interactive artworks and programs that will ignite their creativity and curiosity! Among these, the mesmerizing Scarce City by the brilliant Singapore-based collective Rainshadow Studio invites participants to dive into an immersive installation that sparks meaningful dialogues about climate change and sustainability through captivating interactive light gameplay. Additionally, get ready for Escaped the Art, produced by the innovative minds at Strawberries Inc., an interactive theatre experience that plunges participants into a thrilling mystery, where they can unravel the secrets of historical figures who have astonishingly escaped from their own artworks!

• During the weekends, visitors can eagerly anticipate an electrifying array of free performances as part of Gallery Gigs and Resonates With Residency, featuring exhilarating DJ sets, soul-stirring musical performances, captivating dance, and thought-provoking theatre.

Light to Night Singapore 2025: Do You See Me?

Light to Night Singapore 2025 is scheduled to take place from 17 January to 6 February, encompassing the Civic District and featuring events at the National Gallery Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, The Arts House at the Old Parliament, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, and Funan. Admission is complimentary; however, ticketed programs are available for advance booking on the festival’s website.

The Gallery will extend its opening hours to 11 PM during festival weekends (Friday to Sunday) as part of its Open House initiative, providing complimentary admission to all exhibitions, including the SG Artist series of solo exhibitions honoring local luminaries Kim Lim, Lim Tze Peng, and Teo Eng Seng.

Stay updated on Light to Night Singapore 2025 by visiting the website or by following National Gallery Singapore on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You may also connect with the Festival on its dedicated Facebook and Instagram pages.