Light to Night Singapore is marking a major milestone in 2026 with its 10th edition, themed “The Power in Us”, a celebration of community, co-creation and collective strength through art. Organised by National Gallery Singapore, the festival will illuminate the Civic District and beyond from 9 to 31 January 2026, making this its longest edition to date, unfolding across four vibrant weekends for the first time.
Running daily with expanded day-to-night programming, Light to Night Singapore 2026 invites artists, communities and festivalgoers alike to become active participants, shaping their own journeys through art. With fresh experiences introduced each week, the festival encourages repeat visits and offers a dynamic way to kickstart the new year at one of Singapore’s most beloved art events.
The festival is supported by Development Partner Tote Board, Lead Partner CapitaLand Investment, the National Arts Council, and matched by the Cultural Matching Fund.
Anchoring the milestone edition is SANTAI, a brand-new series of interactive art installations commissioned specially for the festival’s 10th anniversary. Inspired by the Malay word “santai” (meaning to relax). the series transforms key locations across the Civic District into welcoming spaces for gathering, reflection and connection.
SANTAI installations can be found across five major sites: the Padang, Empress Lawn, the Front Lawn at The Arts House at the Old Parliament, ACM Green, and Esplanade Park.
At the Padang, Singaporean artist Firdaus Sani, a fourth-generation Orang Laut descendant, presents Rumah Laut (Coastal Home), a three-part installation spanning the Padang, Art Connector and ACM Green. Drawing from the histories, displacement and resilience of Singapore’s indigenous Orang Laut communities, the work reimagines traditional coastal dwellings using materials such as nipah palm leaves and mangrove wood, creating a dialogue between past and present.
On weekends, the Padang also comes alive with Gathering on the Lawn by Taiwanese artist Michael Lin. Featuring artist-designed paper lantern bags adorned with batik-inspired motifs, the participatory artwork invites the public to walk, create and gather together. Visitors can take home their lantern bags as keepsakes, carrying a shared memory beyond the festival. Selected dates will see the work activated through performance responses by Singapore’s pioneering contemporary art collective, The Artists Village.
Michael Lin also presents Untitled Gathering at the Singapore Courtyard at National Gallery Singapore, where hand-painted, batik-inspired wooden furniture can be moved and rearranged by visitors, turning them into co-creators of an ever-evolving installation.
Elsewhere, Instar Dreaming (in slow wave) by Singaporean artist Weixin Quek Chong takes over Empress Lawn with sculptural pods inspired by larval insects in different stages of transformation. The installation responds to the nearby facade projection Flower Power, a collaborative work by Noah Tan (ART:DIS) and award-winning pianist Dr Azariah Tan, exploring resilience and transformation through unexpected artistic pairings.
At Esplanade Park, emerging artist Syahmin Huda presents Batu Ghaib (The Unseen Stone), a poetic work referencing the Singapore Stone and inviting reflection on ancestral voices within nature. Meanwhile, The Looking Glass of Language at The Arts House by Amanda Tan and Irsyad Ishak transforms words into motion-activated anagrams, encouraging audiences to uncover shifting meanings through interaction.
Diverse perspectives take centre stage through an expanded series of Art Skins on Monuments facade projections across the Civic District. Highlights include Larut’s Tears at The Arts House, developed through long-term collaborative research with Malaysia’s Gerimis Art Project and Semai communities, and stART Here: From Every Vantage Point, showcasing works by youth from Fei Yue Community Services.
The facade of National Gallery Singapore overlooking the Padang features projection mappings by fyerool darma and Vietnamese artist Ngoc Nau, exploring digital resistance and agricultural resilience respectively.
Inside the Gallery’s Padang Atrium, internationally acclaimed Thai artist Navin Rawanchaikul presents SINGAPORAMA, a monumental commission developed through year-long engagement with Singapore’s diverse communities. Rendered in the artist’s signature cinema-poster style, the panoramic installation brings together stories from migrant workers, artists, indigenous groups, faith organisations and more.
Festival weekends are filled with novel art encounters, from the expanded Art X Social: Festival Village, stretching from St Andrew’s Road to Empress Lawn, to roving performances, DJ sets and food offerings. The final weekend will also feature a Pets Weekend, curated with Good Pet Fair, complete with pet-friendly vendors and activities.
Inside the Gallery, visitors can enjoy a wide range of programmes, including power card readings, live prep performances blending movement and food, and sessions led by cultural favourites such as Sing Song Social Club and Zaki Hussain. Weekend highlights include Funny Fridays with local comedians, Gallery Gigs x Padang Atrium featuring homegrown musicians like Charlie Lim, Iman Fandi and Linying, and Sundays: Power in Community, showcasing performances by community groups and schools.
Four self-guided themed trails, designed for social explorers, families, art lovers and photography enthusiasts, help visitors navigate the festival based on their interests.
Extending beyond the Civic District for the first time, Void (Deck) The Walls by Arterly Obsessed will pop up at CQ @ Clarke Quay, Raffles City Singapore and Plaza Singapura, transforming mall spaces into glowing reimaginings of familiar void deck icons. Visitors can also spot Burrows, a playful mural by Tell Your Children, at the Funan Underground Pedestrian Link.
As part of National Gallery Singapore’s Open House, gallery hours will be extended to 11pm on festival weekends, with free admission to most exhibitions. Promotional tickets will also be available for Into the Modern: Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston during the festival period.
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