The best things to do in Singapore this weekend (January 17-19)

The creative festival is back this week with its biggest and boldest lineup yet, featuring over 90 F&B stalls and 190 retail booths, all setting up shop at Singapore Expo Hall 4 from January 17 to 19 and 24 to 26. This year’s theme, ‘Artbox Everyday,’ breathes new life into the essence of neighbourhood living, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. True to its iconic style, expect shipping containers stacked like colourful flats, complete with a convenience store and a communal void deck where you can sing karaoke, play chess, and soak up the creative energy. With hands-on workshops, thrilling games, and open mic sessions, your inner artist will be itching to shine at Artbox. Find out more here.

You don't need to be an art aficionado to instantly recognise a Jean-Michel Basquiat masterpiece. His striking, bold-coloured work is a staple of the 1980s art scene, embodying the rebellious spirit of the era. For your chance to unpick the late artist’s mind, immerse yourself in Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat, open from now till March 6 at Marina Bay Sands. This global-first experience takes you inside Basquiat’s world, tracing his rise from a New York street artist to a global pop culture icon. Journey through 10 immersive rooms and marvel at 160 meticulously framed pages from Basquiat's Notebooks, 12 iconic works from The Head—The Mind Drawings, and 25 original licensed prints. Then conclude at the exclusive Crown and Canvas Lounge, featuring a bar and live DJ sets. Tickets start from $48 (Singapore residents) and $59 (non-residents)  – get yours here.

Step into the future of climate awareness with Scarce City, premiering on 11 January at the National Gallery Singapore. This groundbreaking experience, conceived by visionary artist Elizabeth Mak, challenges our perceptions of success and scarcity. Combining interactive gaming and immersive theatre, Scarce City invites you to navigate a light-based resource management game set in a stunning 3D-printed world made from over 4,000 pieces of recycled plastic. Inspired by Kate Raworth's 'Doughnut Economics' theory, this arts and tech experience explores what it truly means to have enough in today’s world. With only 20 participants per session, it’s an intimate and thought-provoking journey into the psychology of climate change.

Somewhere Near Home is the artist Adam Handler’s first solo exhibition in Singapore. The New York-born painter is known for his colourful and whimsical paintings done with oil sticks, and this exhibition is no exception. He uses an explosion of vivid colours and layered compositions to create characters that have simple yet expressive forms. Each artwork is a reflection of his early childhood memories at home, evoking a sense of joy, comfort, sadness and anger. The exhibition is held at LOY Contemporary Art Gallery and more details can be found here.

Rattan weaving, traditional coffee making, Chinese opera, and Peranakan beading – these are some of Singapore’s many dying trades that Lots Arts Found is putting in the spotlight. Through fun workshops and engaging performances, this showcase aims to bring a new revival to these cultural artforms that make up part of our history. It’ll be a nostalgic experience for the older generations, and an eye-opening one for the younger folks who might not have been exposed to these sorts of crafts before, so head down with the whole family for an enriching day out. Entry is free but registration is required. Find out more and sign up here.

You know what they say: the bigger, the better. Dive right into Sentosa’s two-month long free immersive experience, A Big, Big World, spanning across Sentosa Sensoryscape and Palawan Beach. Some major higlights include a dreamy cloud swing installation and a magical night experience by the beach with giant floating sea creature inflatables that light the sky aglow. Find out more here.

Held at Resorts World Sentosa, the Singapore edition of Harry Potter: Visions of Magic promises to be even bigger and better, with an additional 10,000 square feet of space for even more magical moments to unfold. Step into familiar scenes from the Potterverse including the Room of Requirement, Newt’s Menagerie, the Ministry of Magic, and more, as special interactive technology and multimedia elements are weaved with captivating soundscapes to bring enchantment to us muggles. See plenty of realistic replicas from the movies, along with eye-catching illuminations, for tons of photo-worthy opportunities. Find out more here.

Have a splash at Changi Airport’s brand new space-themed inflatable waterpark, Cosmic Hydropark, from now until February 16, 2025 at Termina 3's Arrival Hall. Along with picture-worthy elements like giant UFOs, towering rocket ships, and inflated astronauts, the park also features a giant water slide and exciting water obstacle courses with fun interactive play elements. Little ones won’t be left out – they’ll still get their dose of safe fun in a dedicated pool separate from the big kids. Passes are available for purchase via the Changi App here.

The stunning Gardens by the Bay is set to get even more magical this festive season. For the first time in Singapore, get ready to see all your Disney and Pixar favourites come to life at the floral wonderland’s new Garden of Wonder. Whether you’re a fan of the iconic Mickey Mouse or Toy Story characters, visit this showcase to see them come to life in the form of charming plant sculptures, also known as topiaries. As if it couldn’t get any cuter, there’s also a Flavours of Singapore zone that features Disney characters in a local setting – look out for Donald Duck and his plate of chilli crab and catch Stitch feasting on durians. Commemorate your visit by picking up some exclusive Disney-themed merch at the floral, Disney-themed pop-up store. Get in on the magic here.

Batik, a timeless art form and symbol of Southeast Asian heritage, takes centre stage at the Peranakan Museum. This captivating exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative and entrepreneurial journeys of three remarkable Peranakan women from the bustling port city of Pekalongan, Indonesia. Meet Nyonya Oeij Soen King, her daughter-in-law Nyonya Oeij Kok Sing, and granddaughter Jane Hendromartono, each a batik master in her own right. Discover their inspiring stories through about 200 objects, including cherished family heirlooms and 60 stunning batik pieces from the 1890s to the 1980s. You can also explore batik’s evolution through time at the interactive stations. Then take a fun mobile quiz to uncover your personal batik style and score an exclusive bookmark to take home. Keep an eye out for exciting pop-up performances, hands-on craft activities, and engaging curator tours during your visit. 

ArtScience Museum presents The World of Studio Ghibli, showcasing the world of well-loved animation studio, Ghibli, from October 4, 2024 to February 2, 2025. This will be Studio Ghibli’s first ever showcase in Singapore and also one of the largest editions to date, exploring its iconic animation and storytelling. The upcoming iteration will also feature new additions from Studio Ghibli’s latest film The Boy and the Heron.

Put your walking shoes on because the exhibition is huge, spanning 2,400 square metres, across 11 galleries. Dive into the world of 11 famous Ghibli films like My Neighbour Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), and Spirited Away (2001). Visitors will be able to meet their favourite characters and immerse themselves in 16 large-scale interactive theatrical sets from various iconic Ghibli films throughout the studio's history. And that’s not all – enjoy 16 art installations that will take you through Studio Ghibli’s creative processes, and grab yourself official Studio Ghibli merchandise at the specially-designed retail store. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ArtScience Museum’s webpage here.

Ever so often, you chance upon a source of inspiration that prompts you to reflect on yourself and the world around us – for us, it is both the artworks of Teo Eng Seng and the man himself. If you’re curious to find out how so, then your next art date should be to National Gallery’s upcoming exhibition, Teo Eng Seng: We’re Happy. Are You Happy?, running from September 6, 2024 to February 2, 2025.

The show is divided into two sections that reflect the philosophies that guided artist Teo throughout his career: Don’t Try to Read it, See it, Feel it – showcasing the spirit of innovation and Sweet Talk, Straight Talk: A Global Citizen Engaging in Social Commentary through Art – exhibiting the use of art as both a medium for social engagement and public messaging.

Singapore’s Bayfront Event Space is set to shine like never before with the arrival of illumi, the world’s largest light, sound and multimedia illumination event. This marks the event’s international debut, featuring the world’s tallest illuminated tree titled ‘Tree of Lights’ which stands at 47 metres. In Singapore’s edition, visitors are invited to explore nine themed worlds such as The Enchanted Maples – one that will transport guests to Canada with glowing maple leaves and sweet treats from Sugar Shack. Other zones include a winter wonderland with shimmering snowflakes featuring curtains of twinkling lights titled Wall of Lights, and Puppies and Kitties, a space that will be taken over by 200 illuminated animal structures.