The verdict is in: most of us love the arts, but ticket prices? Not so much.
Honestly, I get it because I’ve been in your shoes. I see a cool exhibition or event pop up, get excited, see the price, and get instantly deflated.
But here’s the good news: there’s actually a way to enjoy the arts without feeling like you’ve blown half your pay cheque. It’s called the SG60 Culture Pass. In this piece, I’ll walk you through what the Culture Pass is, how you can redeem/use it, and—most importantly—where you’ll get the most bang for your cultural buck.
Here’s where you can spend your culture pass credits
- What the SG60 Culture Pass is (and how to actually use it)
- What can you spend your culture pass credits on
- ECOncert
- The Emperor’s New Clothes
- Sing60 Music Fest
- Top Gun: Maverick in Concert
- Singapore Writers Festival
- FRAMED: A Murder Mystery at the National Gallery
- Avatar: The Last Airbender in Concert
- Art Jamming with Cats
- Former Supreme Court: Unseen, Unheard tour
- Crack the Case: The Lost Legacy of Tiong Bahru
- Closing thoughts
What the SG60 Culture Pass is (and how to actually use it)
In short, the SG60 Culture Pass is basically $100 of free credit that every Singapore Citizen and PR gets this year, all thanks to the nation turning 60. The whole point? So we can go out and enjoy concerts, shows, exhibitions, and all the artsy, heritage-y stuff for free. Honestly, I think it’s a brilliant idea. We could all do with a bit more culture in our lives, and hey, anything that helps us feel a little more connected to home is a win.
Did I mention ‘for free’?
Here’s the lowdown:
| Who gets it | All Singapore Citizens and PRs |
| How much | $100 credit |
| Where to find it | In your Singpass app → Benefits and Support → SG60 Culture Pass |
| How to use it | Browse events on the SG Culture Pass site, book via ticketing partners (like SISTIC, Klook), and apply the pass at checkout |
| What’s included | Concerts, musicals, plays, dance, exhibitions, festivals |
| Valid until | 31 March 2026 |
Now the big question is: what’s actually worth spending it on? Let’s talk events.
What can you spend your culture pass credits on
Now comes the fun part. What should you actually use your Culture Pass on? The list of eligible events is pretty long, but instead of making you scroll through all of them,
I’ve picked out a handful that I think are especially worth your $100 credit. A nice mix of music, theatre, exhibitions, and something a little different too.
If you want to check out the full list of events that the pass covers, head to the official Culture Pass website and browse through the pretty extensive list.
| Event | When / Where | Category | Price | Why it’s worth it |
| ECOncert | 15 Nov 2025, Esplanade Recital Studio | Music | From $35 | Quirky, affordable, and you’ll still have credit left for something else |
| The Emperor’s New Clothes (Wild Rice) | 13 Nov – 14 Dec 2025, Wild Rice @ Funan | Theatre | From $45 | Great for families (or anyone who loves a good laugh) |
| Sing60 Music Fest | 6–7 Dec 2025, Fort Canning Park | Music | $40 (1-day) / $60 (2-day) | Perfect if you miss the festival atmosphere without the insane ticket prices |
| Top Gun: Maverick in Concert | 22–23 Nov 2025, Esplanade Concert Hall | Music / Film | From $55 | Big-screen action + goosebump-inducing live music |
| Singapore Writers Festival | Nov 2025, various venues | Literature / Heritage | From $24 (festival pass) | Cheaper than a book shopping spree, and way more inspiring |
| FRAMED: A Murder Mystery at National Gallery | Ongoing, National Gallery | Visual Arts | $29.90 | Fun twist if you’re not usually a “serious art” person |
| Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert | 26 Nov 2025, Star Theatre (est.) | Music / Film | From $68 | Relive the beloved animated series with live orchestral score |
| Art Jamming with Cats | Sep 2025, venue TBC | Visual Arts | From $48 | Pet-lovers, rejoice. You splash paint, cats roam nearby. Therapeutic, cute, and totally “Instagrammable. |
| Former Supreme Court: Unseen Unheard | 6 Sep 2025 – 31 Dec 2028, National Gallery | Heritage / Guided Tour | From $25 | Behind-the-scenes access to courtrooms rarely open to the public |
| Crack the Case: The Lost Legacy of Tiong Bahru | Weekends, 7–21 Dec 2025, Tiong Bahru Market | Theatre / Heritage | Around $42 | Interactive mystery-theatre walk in a heritage neighbourhood |
ECOncert
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When: 15 Nov 2025
Where: Esplanade Recital Studio
Price: From $35
If you think classical concerts are stiff and intimidating, this one might surprise you.
ECOncert invites you on a layered journey into Singapore’s secondary forests, tracing the story of soil from surface debris and forgotten remnants to the vibrant networks of roots, fungi, and life beneath our feet.
Inspired by Robert Zhao’s Seeing Forest exhibition, each musical “layer” unveils a different horizon of hidden biodiversity and the quiet persistence of nature reclaiming space.
Blending traditional Chinese instruments with recycled materials, spoken word, and video, it’s equal parts serious artistry and playful experimentation.
Personally, I find it a refreshing reminder that art doesn’t just belong in concert halls. It can reflect the very ground we walk on. And the price? You’ll still have plenty left on your Culture Pass to catch another show.
The Emperor’s New Clothes (Wild Rice)
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When: 13 Nov – 14 Dec 2025
Where: Wild Rice @ Funan
Price: From $45
Wild Rice pantos are practically a Singapore tradition at this point—loud, funny, and unapologetically local. This year’s Emperor’s New Clothes takes Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless tale and gives it a sharp Singaporean spin. Think a vain Emperor obsessed with fashion, a National Dress Parade gone wrong, and two cheeky tailors who decide to teach him a lesson.
Directed by Pam Oei with a razor-sharp script from Joel Tan and music by Julian Wong, this musical has all the ingredients for a hilarious, heartwarming night out. Personally, I love how pantos like this work no matter who you go with: kids will giggle, adults will get the sly jokes, and everyone walks out humming the songs. And yes, this year’s cast includes local legends like Hossan Leong, so you know you’re in for a treat.
Sing60 Music Fest
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When:6–7 Dec 2025
Where: Fort Canning Park
Price: $40 (1-day) / $60 (2-day)
The last music festival I went to involved me paying S$80+ bucks, dancing to Steve Aoki and Dimitri Vegas, and getting blasted with water canons in Bangkok.
This one’s a tad more mellow but still an outdoor music festival celebrating 60 years of Singapore music. I don’t know about you, but I miss the buzz of festivals—the picnic mats, the food stalls, the slightly muddy shoes.
For $60, you get two full days of live acts, and your entire Culture Pass covers it. That’s way cheaper than flying overseas for a festival, and it celebrates our own talent.
Top Gun: Maverick in Concert
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When: 22–23 Nov 2025
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall
Price: From $55
Do you feel the need… the need for a concert with adrenaline pumping music? Iykyk.
Top Gun: Maverick was my personal movie of the year back in 2022, so I’m more than a little excited to see it return—this time with a live orchestra powering the soundtrack. Imagine the jet sequences on the big screen while every beat, riff, and soaring theme gets played right there in the hall.
From the fist-pumping energy of Danger Zone to the emotional lift of the film’s newer themes, it’s one of those shows that gives you goosebumps in the best way. Personally, I think it’s the ultimate mash-up: blockbuster cinema meets symphonic concert, with a side of nostalgia.
Singapore Writers Festival
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When: Nov 2025
Where: Various venues
Price: From $24 (festival pass)
I’ll admit it—I haven’t been reading novels as much as I’d like lately. I used to tear through the classics—Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and The Chronicles of Narnia. I even gave Twilight a shot. Which is why I’m seriously considering taking a trip down to the Singapore Writers Festival.
Think of it as a buffet for book lovers: panels, readings, workshops, and everything in between. You’ll find big-name literary heavyweights alongside up-and-coming voices you’ve probably never heard of. And that’s the fun of it—you show up for one familiar author and leave with three new ones you can’t wait to check out.
It’s also one of the most affordable ways to spend an entire weekend soaking up ideas, stories, and maybe even rekindling that dusty reading habit.
FRAMED: A Murder Mystery at the National Gallery
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When: Ongoing,
Where: National Gallery
Price: $29.90
Not everyone wants to stand quietly in front of paintings, and that’s okay. FRAMED flips the script by turning the National Gallery into a crime scene. The plot? You’ve been framed for a crime you didn’t commit, and the only way to clear your name is to explore the museum, uncover secrets, and solve puzzles hidden in the artworks.
It’s basically the biggest escape room you’ll ever step into, but smarter—weaving art and history seamlessly into the game. I think it’s a pretty brilliant concept: a fresh, thrilling way to get people who might not normally spend a Saturday in a gallery to actually enjoy the experience.
And at $29.90 (or free with your Culture Pass), it’s one of the best-value adventures on the list.
Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert
When: 26 Nov 2025
Where: Star Theatre
Price: ~$68–$168
Twenty years on, Avatar: The Last Airbender still has a chokehold on my heart. Picture this: scenes pulled from across the entire series projected on a full-size cinema screen, while Singapore’s own Orchestra V (under the baton of Lester Kong) performs Emmy® Award-winner Jeremy Zuckerman’s incredible score live. From taiko drums and erhu to soaring strings and delicate woodwinds, every note hits harder when you feel it in the hall.
This isn’t just a replay—the 20th anniversary tour brings newly expanded musical highlights and never-before-seen visual moments, created with input from the original series editor, Jeff Adams.
It’s nostalgia, but remixed and re-imagined for the big stage. If you grew up with Aang, Katara, Toph, Sokka, and Zuko, this is your chance to relive their journey in the most epic way possible.
Art Jamming with Cats
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When: 1 Sep 2025 – 2 Nov 2025
Where: Enabling Village
Price: From $48
This isn’t just your typical art jamming session. It’s set in the cozy sanctuary of Enabling Village, where canvases and paints share space with a heart-warming community of cats. The best part? These aren’t just “mascot cats.”
Wildflower Studio runs the programme with local rescuers to foster and rehabilitate strays, giving them a safe space to heal, socialise with humans, and (hopefully) find forever homes.
So while you’re busy splashing paint on canvas, a few furry friends might curl up next to you, pounce across the room, or photobomb your masterpiece. Honestly, it’s part workshop, part therapy session, part rescue mission.
Former Supreme Court: Unseen, Unheard Tour
When: 6 Sep 2025 – 31 Dec 2028
Where: National Gallery
Price: From $25
This exclusive tour takes you deep into parts of the old Supreme Court that are normally off-limits to the public. You’ll walk the same hidden passageways once used by prisoners and guards, climb through a trapdoor into the prisoner’s dock, and even peek into the Chief Justice’s private lift and courtroom seat.
Along the way, you’ll hear stories of some of Singapore’s highest-profile cases since 1939 and step into the very spaces where judgments were handed down—from the perspective of both the judge and the accused.
My favourite part? The Viewing Gallery, where you can imagine the tension as members of the public once watched trials unfold. It’s equal parts history, architecture, and drama.
Crack the Case: The Lost Legacy of Tiong Bahru
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When: Weekends, 7–21 Dec 2025
Where: Tiong Bahru Market
Price: Around $42
Step into the heart of Tiong Bahru, Singapore’s oldest and most storied neighbourhood, and turn detective for a day. This isn’t your usual heritage walk; Crack the Case transforms the estate’s rich history and iconic art-deco architecture into a live mystery, complete with actors, clues, and a long-lost heirloom to recover.
You and your team will decode messages hidden in architectural details, untangle local legends, and piece together secrets passed down through generations. It’s part walking tour, part immersive theatre, part puzzle game—and it makes you see Tiong Bahru in a whole new way.
Personally, I love how it’s playful yet rooted in history. You’re not just hearing about heritage; you’re experiencing it, sleuth-style.
Closing thoughts
If you’re like me and have been feeling a little pang of FOMO every time you skip another cool concert or exhibition, the Culture Pass is honestly a godsend. It’s a free hundred bucks set aside just for us to dip back into the arts, soak up some heritage, and maybe stumble on something new… all without stressing over the ticket price.
And even if you’re not usually the “arts and culture” type, these events make for great weekend plans… or even a pretty solid date idea.
If you’ve been sitting on your credits, consider this your sign to actually use them. Whether it’s laughing at a Wild Rice panto, solving crimes at the National Gallery, or feeling goosebumps at a live orchestra concert—there’s something out there that’ll make you glad you went.
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About the author
Having been writing for a little over 10 years, KC has flexed his pen in a variety of industries—think automotive, fitness, entertainment, and finance. He’s ultimately on a mission to prove that any topic, no matter how serious, can be made fun.
Off-duty? It’s all about food, drinks, parties, and gaming marathons.