Singapore’s next big stage for live music might just be… the airport.
The National Arts Council (NAC) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have officially inked a three-year partnership that will transform Changi Airport into a dynamic cultural hub—spotlighting Singapore’s music, literature, and visual arts to millions of travellers passing through each year.
Announced at Changi Airport Terminal 4, the collaboration sets out to bring curated art displays, live performances, and multidisciplinary activations into the airport experience—turning transit time into a gateway for discovering Singapore’s creative scene.
Turning Changi Airport into a global stage
With Changi Airport handling around 70 million passengers annually, the initiative opens up a massive international audience for local artists.
“NAC's partnership with CAG turns one of the world's busiest hubs into a creative stage for Singapore artists, providing them with access to global travellers,” said NAC Chief Executive Officer Elaine Ng.
For music fans, this means more chances to catch live performances right before takeoff or after landing—extending NAC’s ongoing I Play SG Music initiative into a whole new setting.
Expect everything from intimate sets by homegrown musicians to larger-scale activations during key arts festivals, alongside literary showcases like SingLit poetry readings and visual art installations across terminals.
A first impression that sounds like Singapore
Speaking at the launch, Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling emphasised the impact of placing the arts in such a high-traffic space.
“This partnership… is a bold reimagining of how we present our artistic excellence to the world,” she said. “We want to make sure that… visitors… will be able to experience our Singapore arts and culture.”
She added that Changi Airport has the potential to become more than just a transit hub, but a “cultural gateway, where travellers discover, appreciate and experience the best of Singapore's creativity and talents.”
More opportunities for artists on the move
Beyond visibility, the partnership also opens doors for artists to connect globally. From spontaneous performances to immersive installations, the airport setting creates new ways for creatives to reach audiences who might not typically attend arts venues.
Low highlighted that artists would step into the role of “cultural ambassadors,” noting that these encounters could lead to “international collaborations, commissions, and recognition beyond traditional venues.”
Part of a bigger vision for SG arts
The NAC-CAG collaboration is part of a broader push to bring the arts into everyday spaces across Singapore—whether through MRT activations, public installations, or music integrated into daily commutes.
Now, that vision is taking flight—literally.
As CAG CEO Yam Kum Weng put it, “Changi Airport is more than a gateway to the world… [it] offers an opportunity to reflect Singapore’s cultural vibrance through the creative works of our homegrown artists.”
