SIFA 2025 Celebrates Homegrown Talent and Bold Cultural Vision with a Landmark Edition

The Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2025 wrapped up on a powerful note, marking a milestone in the nation’s arts landscape with more than 90 captivating performances and experiences across nine venues from 16 May to 1 June 2025. Organised by Arts House Limited and commissioned by the National Arts Council, this landmark edition was also the grand finale of Festival Director Natalie Hennedige’s transformative four-year tenure.

With sold-out shows such as stray gods, Umbilical, Animal Farm, LEAR, Hossan-AH! In the High Arts, and A Thousand Stitches, SIFA 2025 brought together over 400 local and international artists and crew from six countries, firmly reinforcing its status as Singapore’s premier performing arts festival.

A Celebration of Identity: Bold Works Across Six Curatorial Strands

Guided by the theme More Than Ever, the Festival offered a bold exploration of Singapore’s evolving cultural identity through six distinctive curatorial strands: New Urban Realities, Classics Reinvented, History Reimagined, We, International, State of the Arts, and PRISM 48. Among the highlights were a record-breaking 15 local commissioned works, the debut of the SIFA Pavilion at Bedok Town Square, and two local productions that evolved from experimental showcases at SIFA 2024.

The festival also featured four acclaimed international productions, one major international commission, and the return of Little SIFA—a family-friendly programme that transformed Empress Lawn into a wonderland for children and parents alike. The whimsical kinetic installation The House Between The Winds by Singaporean sculptor Yang Jie anchored the experience, reflecting SIFA’s commitment to accessible, intergenerational engagement.

A Festival for the People: Engaging Over 70,000 Visitors

SIFA 2025 drew more than 70,000 festivalgoers over three packed weekends, thanks to a strong focus on community participation and accessible programming. At the heart of this outreach was the SIFA Pavilion at Bedok Town Square, where The Sea and the Neighbourhood—a stunning cross-disciplinary performance by composer Philip Tan, choreographer Christina Chan, video artist Brian Gothong Tan, and visual artist Wang Ruobing—opened the Festival with a cast of 70 musicians, dancers, and artists.

The closing performance, led by Sing Song Social Club and beloved local performers Benjamin Kheng, Aarika Lee, Sandra Riley Tang, and Daphne Khoo, turned the Pavilion into a massive community singalong—encapsulating the warmth, inclusivity, and celebration at the heart of SIFA.

Championing Local Voices and Inclusive Storytelling

This year’s edition further deepened its commitment to inclusivity with moving performances like LEAR, COLONY – A True Colors Project, and The Purple Symphony, which powerfully demonstrated how the arts can connect across physical, sensory, and social boundaries.

The festival also provided space for artistic experimentation and development. Through its Tomorrow and tomorrow platform, new works like hello, is this working? by Drama Box and Waiting For Audience by Nine Years Theatre emerged and evolved in dialogue with audiences. Notably, stray gods by multidisciplinary artist weish reimagined Hakka heritage through a haunting, personal blend of sound and storytelling.

A Global Stage for Cultural Exchange

International artists added depth to the festival’s cultural dialogue, with standout works such as HOME by Geoff Sobelle, Told By My Mother by Lebanese artist Ali Chahrour, and Vampyr by Chilean playwright Manuela Infante. SIFA’s international commission LATTICE by Karyn Nakamura turned the Funan Underground Pedestrian Link into a living canvas, while the PRISM 48 series curated by Hong Xinyi delved into Singapore’s place in the global arts conversation.

A New Era Begins in 2026

As SIFA looks ahead, a new chapter begins with incoming Festival Director Chong Tze Chien, who will steer the Festival from 2026 to 2028. The next edition is set to run from 15–31 May 2026, with bold new visions and even greater possibilities on the horizon.