The Singapore Arts Festival is Singapore’s biggest event with participants from over 20 countries involved in 500 activities that are viewed by 70,000 spectators. In these four weeks, Singapore becomes a city transformed, with bold and innovative performances that inspire and capture public imagination.
The festival began in the year 1977 to promote the artistic talents of the multilingual, multiracial communities of Singapore. In the last three decades, the festival has contributed significantly to the cultural development of Singapore, helping it evolve into Asia’s cultural capital. The festival has played a strategic role in professionalizing art practice, increasing audience awareness, creating spin offs for the arts and spawning new interests. Manifestation of bold, innovative ideas is encouraged. The purpose of the festival is to take a critical look at the art processes and the art work itself, in fields ranging from contemporary ballet to traditional music.
The year 2008 has been significant for the Singapore Arts Festival as it marked the introduction of water shows into the festival. Both the inaugural and closing events were performed in water. These were for entertainment just as much as showcasing creative art. The inaugural show was a performance by the French group, Ilotopieat, at Boat Quay from 23rd to 25th May, 2008. The closing ceremony was a performance by the Lunatics from the Netherlands from 20th to 22nd June at the Bedok Reservoir.
Visiting Singapore during the art festival can be a refreshing experience, because the creative genius overflows everywhere in the city during this time. Since it draws a huge international crowd, make sure you book your Singapore hotel well in advance, and it's recommended that you stay at a luxury hotel. Singapore has much to offer a visitor and you can explore everything at leisure when you have the modern conveniences of luxury living waiting for you at the end of the day.
