Light to Night 2026
This year is a big one for Light to Night, as it’s officially hitting its 10th edition. The theme, The Power In Us, commemorates this momentous occasion by honouring the diverse communities in Singapore and the bonds that are built through creating art.
From now till 31st January 2026, the festival will take over the Civic District with a whole lineup of free art installations and exhibitions, including the brand-new SANTAI series. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of things to see, don’t worry – here’s a route we recommend that covers some of the must-see installations and exhibitions at Light to Night 2026:
Highlights to look out for at Light to Night 2026
The exhibitions featured below are all free to visit, but there are also ticketed programmes over the course of the festival to check out.
Ansiblomoo & Memory Gesture
Iconic light projections on the facade of the National Gallery Singapore
Of course, it wouldn’t be Light to Night without the iconic light projections, which have become a staple of the festival. Start the festival right by snapping some beautiful shots outside the National Gallery Singapore.
Ansiblomoo, stylised as ⱥn§ibℓøm∞, is an abstract technological piece that explores the intermingling of organic shapes and forms to create an audio-visual ecosystem. It explores digital resistance and how fragile systems are able to keep these ideas alive.
This artwork is a collaboration between fyerool darma, rEmPit g0dDe$$, and Shif.
Another light projection you wouldn’t want to miss is by Vietnamese artist Ngoc Nau, entitled Memory Gesture. It showcases the resilience of Vietnamese farmers as they navigate the changing industrial and political landscapes.
Get creative and grab an AR filter from the Level 1 and Level 3 foyers at the National Gallery Singapore. This filter lets you play around with the projection and capture it in new and interesting ways.
Time: 8pm-12am, Daily
Venue: Outside National Gallery Singapore
SINGAPORAMA
Old-cinema style mural & interviews with different groups in Singapore
Afterwards, head inside the National Gallery Singapore to see SINGAPORAMA – a panoramic collage created by Thai artist Navin Rawanchaikul and the team at StudiOK. Navin had spent some time in Singapore interviewing different communities, like migrant workers and indigenous groups, to highlight them all in this collage that traverses time and space.
The collage is beautifully painted in an old-school 80s and 90s cinema poster style – a staple in Navin’s artistic works.
There are also screens displaying the interviews and vlogs that Navin captured during his research process, where you can watch these folks share their unique perspectives firsthand.
Time: Mon-Fri 10am-7pm | Sat & Sun 10am-11pm
Venue: Level 1, Padang Atrium, National Gallery Singapore
Untitled Gathering & SANTAI at the Singapore Courtyard
Interactive piece where you can lepak
After exploring SINGAPORAMA on Level 1 of the National Gallery Singapore, head up to the Singapore Courtyard on Level 2 to see Untitled Gathering. This piece is a collaboration between Michael Lin and students from Lasalle and NAFA.
Visitors are free to sit, touch, and move the tables and chairs that have been hand-painted with Batik print.
While you’re there, participate in SANTAI at the Singapore Courtyard – find the small station near the tables, and you’ll see pieces of paper and coloured markers. There’ll be a writing and drawing prompt, and you can respond to whichever one speaks to you based on your own interpretation.
Once you’re done, fold the long flaps at the back and stick it on the wall alongside other contributions. Pop by whenever you have the time before the festival ends, and you’ll get to see this collection of visitor works grow each week.
Time: Mon-Fri 10am-7pm | Sat & Sun 10am-11pm
Venue: Level 2, Singapore Courtyard, National Gallery Singapore
Gathering on the Lawn
Where visitors become a part of the artwork
Next, we recommend exiting the museum and crossing the road over to the Padang. The first thing that’ll greet you there is a series of paper lantern bags adorned with Batik designs. This is Gathering on the Lawn, an interactive exhibition that calls upon visitors to come together and collaborate on an artwork.
The piece draws inspiration from how communities gather in shared outdoor spaces – think Marina Barrage picnics or laidback days at East Coast Park. Pick a bag that catches your eye and strike a pose with it; you’re even free to take it home afterwards. Get creative and repurpose it as a decorative lamp or centrepiece to add a nice pop of colour to your home.
Time: 10am-12am, Daily
Venue: Padang
Rumah Laut (Coastal Home)
3-part installation honouring the indigenous Orang Laut
Part 1 of Rumah Laut at the Padang.
Rumah Laut, which means “coastal home” in Malay, honours the story of the Orang Laut communities, like the Orang Gelam, Orang Kallang, Orang Seletar, and Orang Selat. Artist Firdaus Sani is a 4th-generation Orang Laut who collaborated with folks from these communities to bring the installation to life.
The 3-part installation grapples with the physical and intangible losses that the indigenous people have experienced over the years. It continues along the Art Connector, where you’ll spot a beautiful constellation of lights that look like stars, and ends at ACM Green.
The final part of Rumah Laut at ACM Green, which honours the art of bubu making.
The final portion of Rumah Laut pays homage to the traditional art of bubu making, an old technique of creating fish traps out of bamboo. You’ll also get to see poetic protective mantras written in Jawi script. As it’s tucked all the way at ACM Green along the Singapore River, feel free to explore the other parts of the installation and save this for last.
Time: 10am-12am, Daily
Venue: Art Connector, Padang & ACM Green
Larut’s Tears
Depicts the founding of Tin-rich land in Perak through the eyes of an elephant
From Padang, it’s about a 4-minute walk to the Arts House, so head there next. There are 2 light projections to catch here.
One of them is Larut’s Tears, the product of a research expedition on ecological issues by the Gerimis Art Project, Youngsook Choi, and the Semai communities in Pahang and Perak.
The work retells the discovery of tin-rich land in Perak through the eyes of an elephant called Larut, named after the historic mining town itself. By contrasting images of exploitation with the Semai’s deep relationship with nature, the piece invites viewers to ponder and reflect on a difficult chapter in Perak’s history.
stART Here: From Every Vantage Point
Showcases how art was used to regain a sense of self
After that, stART Here: From Every Vantage Point will start playing. This artwork is by the youth beneficiaries from Fei Yue Community who participated in the Strength Through Art (stART) programme.
The display is an animation of the clay works by youths who were not in education, employment or training at the time. It’s an initiative that helps them reclaim their sense of self and encourages them to process their past and present through art.
Time: 7.30pm-12am, Daily
Venue: Outside The Arts House
The Looking Glass of Language
An interactive exhibition that illustrates the power of language
Right next to The Arts House is The Looking Glass of Language – an exhibition that uses literary devices, like anagrams and palindromes, to display the complexities of human language. Hover your hand to activate the projection and clench your fist to see anagrams of words – like “silent”, which rearrange to form “listen” – appear on the screen.
Time: 10am-12am, Daily
Venue: Outdoor Lawn, The Arts House
Flower Power
Blending art & sound in a way that transcends the senses
Time to take a quick break from the heat by walking through the Victoria Theatre lobby. Once you’re through, head towards the Statue of Stamford Raffles, where you’ll find Flower Power – an audio-visual display featuring art by Noah Tan, accompanied by music by Dr. Azariah Tan.
This artwork explores 2 questions: “How do we hear art?” and “How do we see music?” It’s a beautiful piece that transcends the strict confines of our senses to express how art can be a space for resilience and transformation.
Time: 7.30pm-12am, Daily
Venue: Near the Statue of Stamford Raffles
Batu Ghaib (The Unseen Stone)
Inspired by the story of the Singapore Stone
This one’s a bit of a walk, but we assure you that it’s worth it. Batu Ghaib (The Unseen Stone) is a fascinating installation at Empress Lawn, inspired by the story of the Singapore Stone, where Badang, a figure in Malay folklore with supernatural strength, throws it into the river during a contest of might.
The work features a giant boulder split in 2, with the Malay words timbul tengelam, meaning “floating” and “sinking” in English, etched into it. It invites visitors to view nature as a sentient presence that lives among us, rather than something that simply exists in the background.
Time: 10am-12am, Daily
Venue: Esplanade Park, Opposite Lim Bo Seng Memorial
Art X Social: Festival Street
Get some grub at Empress Lawn
Art X Social: Festival Street from a previous edition of Light to Night.
Image credit: National Gallery Singapore
If you’re looking for a spot to grab lunch or dinner, stop by the Art X Social: Festival Street at Empress Lawn over the weekends. There’ll be food stalls, roving performances by a line-up of musicians and DJs, and games to participate in.
Date: 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd & 24th Jan 2026
Time: 5pm-11.30pm
Venue: Empress Lawn
Be there to celebrate Light to Night’s 10th anniversary
Art festivals like Light to Night are gems in Singapore. With so many challenges impacting our local arts scene, it’s up to us to continue supporting these initiatives and help preserve the arts spaces we still have. Also, admission is free, so no excuses not to visit.
Find out more about Light to Night 2026
For more things to do in Singapore:
Photography by Hui Wen Chan.