SMU Arts Fest 2025 (Singapore)

SMU Arts Fest 2025, the flagship arts festival of Singapore’s only university in the city, returns from 22 August – 28 September 2025 with a curated lineup of events on selected dates.

This year’s theme, <2560>, carries a powerful dual significance: “25” celebrates SMU’s 25-year journey, while “60” marks Singapore’s 60th year of independence. Together, 2560 symbolises a bridge between tradition and innovation, connecting past milestones with future aspirations.

The festival features five thoughtfully curated events that spotlight emerging youth talent and amplify homegrown narratives. Audiences are invited to engage in experiences that are at once personal and collective, nostalgic yet forward-looking, and deeply rooted in Singapore’s evolving arts and cultural identity.

Note: Part of the programme coincides with Singapore Night Festival 2025. Attendees are encouraged to explore the art installations and light projections taking place in the vicinity during this period.

Programme / Event Schedule

• 25 x 25 (Exhibition)
  • Synopsis: Showcasing a new wave of student creativity, this exhibition presents visual, literary, and performance-based responses to 25 selected works from the SMU Art Collection. Curated in collaboration with SMU Libraries, it fosters cross-medium dialogue and offers fresh interpretations of the themes explored in the original artworks.
  • Date: 22 August – 6 September 2025 (Friday – Saturday)
  • Time:
    • 12:00pm – 7:00pm (Monday – Thursday)
    • 12:00pm – 10:00pm (Friday & Saturday)
    • Closed (Sunday)
  • Venue: SMU de Suantio Gallery [Map]
  • Fee: Free
• Live, Laugh Lor (Music & Dance)
  • Synopsis: A showcase of music and dance, featuring student dance ensembles and a cappella groups from all eight local universities, united on one stage for a night of creative expression and collaboration.
  • Date:
    • 29 & 30 August 2025 (Friday & Saturday)
    • 5 & 6 September 2025 (Friday & Saturday)
  • Time:
    • 8:00pm – 8:30pm
    • 9:00pm – 9:30pm
    • 10:00pm – 10:30pm
  • Venue: SMU Campus Green [Map]
  • Fee: Free

• COMMISIONS (Orchestra performance)
  • Synopsis: In celebration of Singapore’s 60th birthday (SG60), the SMU Chinese Orchestra presents a special concert featuring a blend of past commissioned works and multicultural pieces that highlight the nation’s rich cultural tapestry. The programme includes three world premieres of original commissions and performances by guest musicians, underscoring SMU’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion through the arts.
  • Date: 11 September 2025 (Thursday)
  • Time: 8:00pm – 9:15pm
  • Venue: SOTA Concert Hall [Map]
  • Fee: S$22.00 per person (excludes S$3 booking fee)
  • Notes:
    • Show is recommended for individuals aged 7 and above.
    • Enjoy 15% off with a group registration of four or more tickets.
• return of RE:TURN (Dance performance)
  • Synopsis: This performance by SMU’s largest dance club, Eurhythmix, explores the fading grammar of traditional Malay, Indian, and Chinese dance forms. It delves into how these cultural roots continue to influence and evolve, reimagining contemporary genres such as hip-hop and opening up bold new possibilities for movement and expression.
  • Date: 20 September 2025 (Saturday)
  • Time:
    • 3:00pm – 4:30pm
    • 8:00pm – 9:30pm
  • Venue: Drama Centre, National Library [Map]
  • Fee: S$22.00 per person (excludes S$3 booking fee)
  • Notes:
    • Show is recommended for individuals aged 7 and above.
    • Enjoy 15% off with a group registration of four or more tickets.

• MAD The Musical (Musical performance)
  • Synopsis: An original musical created to celebrate SMU25, this production follows the journey of a present-day SMU undergraduate whose world unexpectedly collides with the rich, storied past of the very site where the SMU campus now stands. The show features a playful and heartfelt blend of past and present, brought to life through reimagined pop hits by artists such as Taylor Swift, Green Day, and more.
  • Date/Time:
    • 26 September 2025 (Friday), 8:00pm – 9:30pm
    • 27 September 2025 (Saturday), 8:00pm – 9:30pm
    • 28 September 2025 (Sunday), 3:00pm – 4:30pm
  • Venue: Drama Centre, National Library [Map]
  • Fee: S$22.00 per person (excludes S$3 booking fee)
  •  Notes:
    • Show is recommended for individuals aged 12 and above.
    • Enjoy 15% off with a group registration of four or more tickets.