What To Look Out For At Singapore Night Festival 2024

The city’s biggest nocturnal event - the Singapore Night Festival (SNF) is back for its 15th edition in the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct, and this year, "The Art of Play" is the central theme, inspired by the area’s history as the site of some of Singapore's first schools - the Singapore Art Museum was after all formerly the Saint Joseph's Institution. first built in 1867.

There'll be the usual things audiences have come to love and expect from the SNF, such as projection mapping, night light installations by local and regional artists, and various programs, food, and retail experiences at the festival's many villages, all over an extended three weekends from August 23 to September 7.

Here, a look at some of this year's highlights:

1. CATHAY GREEN: WONDER WORLD – THE MACHINE OF NOSTALGIA

One of the key works this year is artist SKL0's Wonder World – The Machine of Nostalgia - described as a captivating experience that reimagines 1950s amusement parks in Singapore. This multimedia experience will hold court at Cathay Green, featuring rides, game stalls, as well as an unique show that blends wrestling with poetry performances that features iconic characters from Singapore’s past.

Get your tickets here.

Aug 23 - Aug 25, Aug 28 - Sept 1, Sept 4 - Sept 7, 7.30pm - 11pm

2. ARMENIAN STREET: FIRST FLIGHT

Over at Armenian Street, festival-goers will see a giant illuminated paper plane titled First Flight, created by artists Aaron Lim and Quek Jia Qi. This interactive installation, inspired by the area's history and former schools, evokes childhood nostalgia and encourages contemplation and imagination.

Aug 23 - Sept 7, 7.30pm - 12am

3. STAMFORD ARTS CENTRE: THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Artist Rizman Putra’s installation, The Happiest Days of Our Lives, will be holding court at Stamford Arts Centre (SAC), evoking childhood nostalgia using vintage illustrations from childhood textbooks and storybooks from the 1960s-1990s. This blacklight mural, inspired by SAC's history as an educational hub, creates a vibrant neon experience that honors past eras.

Aug 23 - Sept 7, 7.30pm - 12am

4. BUGIS STREET ART LANE: DELULU HIGH

The gymnasium - often seen as a tough and unyielding environment - is transformed by Pop Glitterfreak Collective's imaginative installation titled Delulu High. Held at Bugis Street Art Lane, a new location for SNF, this collective seeks to put a lighter, softer and more feminine spin on this traditionally masculine space. There's also the Disco Bus and Affirmation Steps, which reimagine dreaded school experiences into playful and healing interactions.

Aug 23 - Sept 7, 7.30pm - 12am

5. CHIJMES: LIGHT PROJECTIONS

CHIJMES will feature four captivating works from the SNF Projection Masterclass, led by Malaysian multimedia artist Shakir (Grasshopper), a co-founder of the art collective Filamen. This masterclass is part of SNF’s initiative to train emerging artists in projection mapping, offering sessions that teach fundamental techniques and provide hands-on experience.

The artists selected this year are Yanyun Chen and Alex Scollay, Rachaodoodles, Aaah House and deniseardenise, all of whom interpret the theme of play imaginatively. For example, Chen and Scollay's PINBOLA (pictured) is a multi-level pinball machine filled with childhood toys and artifacts that blends digital and analogue elements to provide a playful escape from daily routines.

Aug 23 - Sept 7, 7.30pm - 12am

6. NATIONAL DESIGN CENTRE: SCENTS OF BEING

Australian skincare label Aesop's Scents of Being installation at the National Design Centre is a multisensory experience set in a mythical forest, where visitors explore the connection between scent and self. The journey features Aesop’s eleven Eau de Parfums as guiding lights, evoking wonder and curiosity - and if you're a fan of the brand's olfactory offerings, you'll want to check it out, as the label will be unveiling a new perfume there.

Aug 23 - Sept 7, 7.30pm - 12am

7. NATIONAL DESIGN CENTRE: OPERA IN MOTION: A DYNAMIC TRIBUTE TO CHINESE OPERA

National Design Centre is also the site for Opera in Motion: A Dynamic Tribute to Chinese Opera, by artists Ezekiel Wong, Hoo Jian Li, Lim Jia Ren, and Ron Tu. The work features an interactive installation that celebrates Chinese opera heritage - visitors can pedal a tricycle with tarpaulin-covered boxes to activate light projections of opera scenes on the walls, accompanied by ambient melodies and festive lighting. Inspired by historical Chinese Street Operas that go all the way back to 1842, this installation blends tradition with modern innovation for an immersive experience.

Aug 23 - Sept 7, 7.30pm - 12am