Changi Airport Group and NAC bring Singapore arts to the boarding gate

The National Arts Council (NAC) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have entered a three-year partnership to showcase Singapore’s arts and culture to international audiences passing through Changi Airport.

The collaboration will see a series of curated art displays, live performances and activations rolled out across the airport’s terminals, targeting both local and international passengers. Changi Airport handles about 70 million passengers annually, offering a high-traffic platform to expand the global reach of Singapore’s creative talents.

The partnership was launched at Changi Airport Terminal 4 on 27 April, with senior minister of state Low Yen Ling in attendance as guest of honour. Representatives from NAC and CAG were joined by local artists, who marked the occasion with live poetry and music performances.

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Over the next three years, the initiative will feature multidisciplinary programming spanning literary, visual and performing arts. This includes Singapore Literature (SingLit) poetry presented through live engagements, alongside music performances that extend NAC’s existing "I play SG Mmusic" initiative into the airport environment.

During major arts festivals, Changi Airport may also serve as a platform for visual art showcases, aimed at boosting the international visibility of Singapore-based artists.

The partnership builds on NAC’s broader push to bring the arts into everyday public spaces beyond traditional venues. Guided by its Our SG Arts Plan (2023–2027), the council has been expanding the presence of local art across Singapore through initiatives such as commissioned works in MRT stations, themed trains, and large-scale installations in community spaces.

It has also integrated local poetry and music into the public transport network and lifestyle destinations such as Marina Bay Sands, as part of efforts to position Singapore as a distinctive city where art is embedded into daily life.

“Changi Airport is more than a gateway to the world – it is often travellers’ first and last impression of Singapore. The airport offers an opportunity to reflect Singapore’s cultural vibrance through the creative works of our homegrown artists as part of the passenger experience," said Yam Kum Weng, CEO, CAG. 

He added, "Through this partnership, we can explore ways to further enliven our airport spaces, create moments of positive discovery for passengers, and reinforce Changi Airport’s identity as a worldclass gateway that reflects the spirit and creativity of Singapore.”

In tandem, Elaine Ng, CEO, NAC said, "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." 

This push into new formats and spaces also extends into the digital realm. Earlier this year, NAC launched "AfterForms", a hybrid metaverse exhibition developed in collaboration with TBWA\Singapore under its Project Arts Metaverse (PAM) initiative.

The project explores themes such as climate grief, memory and digital responsibility through four immersive virtual environments, alongside a physical showcase at The Arts House. Positioned as a digital arts incubator, "AfterForms" examines how digital worlds inherit what physical ones erase, framing the metaverse as a space where consequence and responsibility continue to accumulate rather than a form of escapism.

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Have you seen these themed MRT trains by the National Arts Council yet?