Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA 2025): More Than Ever

The annual Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) returns from 16 May to 1 June with the theme More Than Ever. Organised by Arts House Limited (AHL) and commissioned by the National Arts Council (NAC), this 2025 edition of Singapore’s pinnacle performing arts festival presents a dynamic line-up that spotlights Singapore’s cultural vitality and boldness in defining its present and its vision for the future. As Singapore celebrates its 60th year of independence, the Festival marks an exciting chapter with its largest showcase of homegrown talent. It is designed to bring the arts everywhere, for audiences of all ages, and across diverse communities, establishing our identity as a creative city for the arts. Building on the theme, six curation strands guide the Festival and its programming: New Urban Realities; Classics Reinvented; History Reimagined; We, International; State of the Arts; and PRISM 48.

Unveiled by Festival Director Natalie Hennedige at Fort Canning Centre, SIFA 2025 will present an unprecedented number of 15 commissioned local works—the highest number in the Festival’s history—including two works-in-progress first staged at SIFA 2024. The quality of these works is a testament to our commitment to develop a performing arts landscape fuelled by artistic talent, excellence and innovation.

In line with efforts to increase accessibility for audiences from all walks of life, the Festival will also feature the SIFA Pavilion at Bedok Town Square, a transient arts space in the heart of the community that is charged with multidisciplinary artistic expression. With an emphasis on public engagement, the SIFA Pavilion is an arts touchpoint in our everyday spaces where Singaporeans live, work and play. It adds a powerful new dimension to the Festival’s relationship with the shared public environment, a common space where narratives co-exist. This year’s edition also sees the return of Little SIFA, situated at Empress Lawn, featuring works by Singapore artists, including an installation encompassing performance, and specially designed arts experiences for families and children. Through embedding arts experiences in key life areas, Little SIFA complements efforts to foster an appreciation for the arts in children from a young age.