Shine Bright: Light To Night 2025 Illuminates Our Civic District

Kick off your year with a cultural glow-up at Light to Night Singapore 2025! Returning as part of Singapore Art Week, this much-anticipated arts festival takes over the Civic District from 17 Jan – 6 Feb.

Prepare to be wowed by over 70 luminous artworks and programmes, all inspired by the theme, "Do You See Me?". This year’s theme dives deep into the rich tapestry of our communities, challenging us to "see and be seen." Through collaborations with visionary local artists, the festival explores diverse identities and perspectives.

Whether you’re an art aficionado or just looking for a fun day out, there’s no better place to experience Singapore’s vibrant arts scene. Key locations include 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. 

Don’t miss the Open House weekends at the National Gallery, with extended hours until 11pm from Friday to Sunday. Also happening on 17 – 18 Jan, 24 – 25 Jan, and 31 Jan – 1 Feb is the popular Art X Social: Festival Street, offering food, games, plus dance and live music performances all through the night.

Take note: some ticketed programmes require pre-booking on the festival’s website.

Here are our must-see artworks:

Spirit of Resilience by Chng Seok Tin, animation by ARAFURA. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

Spirit of Resilience
by Chng Seok Tin, animation by ARAFURA

The Perception of Beauty
by Jaafar Latiff, animation by ARAFURA

Imprinted Memory
by Goh Beng Kwan, animation by ARAFURA

National Gallery Singapore, Facade
8pm – 8:45pm, 9pm – 9:45pm, 10pm – 10:45pm, and 11pm – midnight

These three projections by Bandung, Indonesia-based multimedia design studio ARAFURA transform the façade of the National Gallery Singapore into a canvas of stories celebrating artistic innovation and resilience.

“Spirit of Resilience” honours Chng Seok Tin’s journey, showcasing how she overcame vision loss to push creative boundaries across mediums. “The Perception of Beauty” highlights Jaafar Latiff’s revolutionary work in batik, acrylics, and computer art, blending tradition with bold modernism. “Imprinted Memory” chronicles Goh Beng Kwan’s adaptation to cultural shifts and his pioneering contributions to collage.

kālacakra (a clock for progress) by Kapilan Nadu. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

kālacakra (a clock for progress)
by Kapilan Nadu
National Gallery Singapore, Supreme Court Wing, Level 3, UOB Southeast Asia Gallery, Rotunda Library & Archive
Fri – Sun: 5:30pm – 11pm, Mon – Thu: 5:30pm – 7pm

This interactive installation invites visitors to blend personal reflection with collective memory. Through a quiz, participants generate unique AI artworks from the National Gallery Singapore's archives, contributing their stories to a dynamic projection on the Rotunda Library & Archive ceiling. Kapilan Naidu, a media artist and creative technologist, is known for innovative works like Synthetic Visions for a Future Past, blending AI and community-contributed content to create generative art.

Words by Song-Ming Ang. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

Words
by Song-Ming Ang
Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, Façade
9pm – 11.45pm with 15 minute intervals

Song-Ming Ang’s artwork combines text, visuals, and sound to evoke emotion through abstraction, offering a relentless reflection on everyday concerns. The words appear one at a time, to mimic the feel of scrolling through your Instagram feed. Song-Ming Ang is known for blending conceptual art and experimental music.

Through The Looking Glass by Claire Teo. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

Through The Looking Glass
by Claire Teo
National Gallery Singapore, City Hall Wing, Level B1, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium Foyer
Fri – Sun: 10am – 11pm, Mon – Thu: 10am – 7pm

This immersive installation by Claire Teo explores the intricacies of human perception, inspired by her experiences as a visually impaired artist and enriched by voices from underserved communities. Aiming to promote inclusivity and spark dialogue about visibility and disability, it offers a transformative perspective on what it means to truly see and be seen. Claire is the first visually-impaired graduate of LASALLE College of the Arts’ Diploma in Performance.

There will also be live performances at the same location on 17 Jan (6.30pm and 8pm), 18 Jan (6pm and 8pm) and 1 Feb (6pm and 8pm)

Now You See Us by TraseOne. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

Now You See Us?
by TraseOne
The Arts House at the Old Parliament, Façade
8.30pm – 8.45pm 9.15pm – 9.30pm 10pm – 10.15pm 10.45pm – 11pm 11.30pm – midnight

Created by renowned street artist TraseOne, this multimedia projection transforms the historic façade of The Arts House into a vibrant display tracing Singapore’s graffiti evolution from underground beginnings to mainstream prominence. TraseOne (real name Sufian Hamri) has worked with clients such as Standard Chartered and institutions like National Heritage Board and the Singapore Art Museum.

We'll Make Heaven a Place on Earth by Arterly Obsessed. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

We’ll Make Heaven a Place on Earth
by Arterly Obsessed
Asian Civilisations Museum, ACM Green
10am - midnight

This structure by Arterly Obsessed invites visitors into a mesmerising space inspired by the top of pagodas and spiritual connection. Viewers peer through a two-way mirror into infinite reflections, playing with light and perception, while a familiar remix of the Belinda Carlisle tune plays in the background. Keith and Guo Yixiu, founders of Arterly Obsessed, focus on works that blend drawing, painting, and digital media.

Blades, Sharpnel by Ang Song Nian. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

Blades, Shrapnel
by Ang Song Nian
Roving performances at the Padang and Empress Lawn on 17 – 18, 24 – 25 Jan 2025, 7:30pm.

This performance by Ang Song Nian features five laser-emitting grass cutters activated in synchronised movements, drawing attention to these workers who interact everyday with nature. The artist employed actual grass cutter workers for the performance. Song Nian is known for exploring human interventions in landscapes through his art.

A Little Bead of Work by Kray Chen. | IMAGES: NICHOLAS YONG

A Little Bead of Work
by Kray Chen
The Arts House at the Old Parliament, Outdoor Lawn
10am – midnight, with guided activation on Fridays to Sundays (6pm – 10pm)

Set on The Arts House lawn, this installation invites visitors to make their own glow-in-the-dark word bracelets, exploring themes of identity and connection. Created by Singapore artist Kray Chen, this piece is part of VERSE, The Arts House's celebration of Singapore literature. Kray was awarded the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council in Singapore.

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