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National Arts Council

New 1,000-seat theatre in Tanglin announced and record high number of patrons recognised at Patron of the Arts Awards 2026

28 August 2026

A new 1,000-seat purpose-built theatre will be developed in Tanglin by 2030, strengthening local arts infrastructure and expanding opportunities for artists and audiences. This was announced by Guest-of-Honour, Mr David Neo, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Education at this year's Patron of the Arts Awards (POAA).

A record 585 individual and corporate patrons were also recognised for their arts contributions totalling $89.5 million at POAA 2026 – almost double the amount recognised at POAA 2025.

2 Together, the new theatre and the record patronage reflect the growing role of individuals and businesses in supporting Singapore's arts – from giving to artists and programmes, to partnering Government on long-term infrastructure that expands opportunities for artists and audiences.


Deepening impact of arts giving through infrastructural contributions 

3 The development of the new world-class theatre is funded and built by Singapore-based real estate investor and developer Pacific Eagle Real Estate (PERE), with support from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the National Arts Council (NAC). NAC will be calling for an operator to run the theatre, while the museum will be managed by the Tanoto Art Foundation. This marks the first time a performing arts theatre and a contemporary art museum are co-developed under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA)’s Strategic Development Incentive (SDI) scheme. This demonstrates how the rejuvenation of older developments can also create new spaces for the arts and contribute to Singapore’s cultural landscape.

4 The theatre will meet a need for a venue of this scale in Singapore’s arts infrastructure landscape, supporting large-scale productions across art forms, creating job opportunities across the local arts sector from technical theatre to arts management roles, while opening more avenues for local artists to develop and present their works. Beyond plays and musicals, this could include dance and music, allowing for a range of traditional and contemporary performances across various genres. This marks an important step in a broader pipeline of initiatives to unlock arts spaces of various sizes across Singapore. More details on the 1,000-seat theatre can be found in Annex A.

5 The growing interest in supporting long-term arts infrastructure can also be seen among POAA patrons. This year, corporate and individual patrons were recognised for their contributions towards the development of the AGAM Blackbox, an independent, artist-led theatre space and permanent home for Indian theatre at Tanjong Pagar Disrepair. The Blackbox will help AGAM reduce recurring rental costs, enable more affordable programming and create professional opportunities for emerging practitioners, including AGAM’s bursary recipients and resident artists.

Record patronage led by continued rise in individual donors

6 POAA 2026 reflected the continued strength of arts giving in Singapore. Individual patronage reached a new high, with 480 individual patrons accounting for 82 percent of all patrons this year. Together, they contributed approximately $58 million, close to 65 percent of the total value recognised at POAA 2026. Individual patrons recognised at POAA 2026 include: 

  • Distinguished Patron of the Arts recipient Dr Leon KL Chew, who funded an endowment for an overseas programme travel subsidy for full-time diploma students at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

  • Distinguished Patron of the Arts recipient CHARLES & KEITH Group Foundation, which established the CHARLES & KEITH Creative Talent Scholarship at the University of the Arts Singapore. 

  • Patron of the Arts recipient De Miguel Solaguren Family, which provided cash support for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s 2026 China tour, helping Singapore artists reach international audiences.

7 Corporate patronage remained strong, with 105 organisations contributing more than $31 million in cash and in-kind support. Examples include: 

  • Distinguished Patron of the Arts recipient Singtel, which renewed its long-standing partnership with National Gallery Singapore as a Founding Partner since the Gallery opened in 2015. The partnership has brought 16 internationally acclaimed exhibitions to Singapore, making world-class art more accessible to Singaporeans, and will continue through the Gallery’s upcoming blockbuster exhibitions. 

  • Friend of the Arts recipient Pek Sin Choon Pte Ltd, which supported a range of local arts groups across theatre and traditional arts, including Paper Monkey Theatre, Siong Leng Musical Association and Young People’s Performing Arts Ensemble.

8 Beyond financial contributions, patrons continued to support artists and arts groups through diverse ways of giving, from professional expertise to business capabilities, reflecting a more mature and diversified arts philanthropy landscape. Examples include: 

  • Friend of the Arts recipient Raffles Hotel (1886) Pte Ltd, which provided sponsorships for The Theatre Practice’s artists and crew, helping the arts group reduce production costs and direct more resources towards its artistic work. 

  • Patron of the Arts recipient JPL Consultants Pte Ltd, which contributed professional engineering services for the Singapore Biennale 2025.

Inaugural Singapore Arts Philanthropy Forum in 2027 to unlock next phase of arts philanthropy

9 To build on this momentum and unlock the next phase of arts giving, NAC will convene the inaugural Singapore Arts Philanthropy Forum in 2027. The Forum will bring philanthropists and arts organisations together to exchange insights, build networks and develop collaborations. It will also help arts organisations strengthen their fundraising capabilities, build understanding of the value and impact of the arts, encourage greater collective and private sector support, and explore new approaches to sustainable arts philanthropy. More details will be shared when ready.

10 POAA 2026 recognises contributions made between 1 January and 31 December 2025 and is a celebration of our arts patrons. Come and join the making of a vibrant arts ecosystem here .


High resolution images may be found in this Digital Media Kit here (opens in new tab).

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For media queries, please contact:

Priscilla Gan

Assistant Director, Strategic Communications

National Arts Council

+65 9626 0077

Priscilla_GAN@nac.gov.sg

Marc Ho 

Manager, Strategic Communications 

National Arts Council

+65 8782 9566

Marc_HO@nac.gov.sg 

About National Arts Council 

The National Arts Council (NAC) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth that champions the arts in Singapore. The Council promotes artistic excellence by providing diverse opportunities for artists and arts organisations while expanding access for audiences to appreciate the impact of the arts in enriching lives. By working closely with the arts community and partners, the Council seeks to build a connected society, creative economy and distinctive city