MCCY to accept programme applications for SG Culture Pass from Mar. 10

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) will begin accepting programme applications for the SG Culture Pass from Mar. 10, 2025.

The SG Culture Pass was announced during the 2025 Budget.

Speaking at a ministerial town hall on Feb. 21, minister of culture, community and youth Edwin Tong said the government wants to encourage more Singaporeans to attend local arts, culture, and heritage programmes and gain exposure to different art forms of their choice.

"This, in turn lowers barriers to accessibility, and in turn, we hope it catalyses an interest developed in as many Singaporeans as possible, a lifelong interest in the arts and heritage," said Tong.

All Singaporeans aged 18 and above will receive S$100 worth of credits to purchase tickets for eligible local performances, exhibitions, and experiences.

These credits, valid from Sep. 1 2025, to Dec. 31 2028, can be used to defray the cost of tickets to attend and participate in various local arts and heritage programmes.

Eligible programmes

Tong emphasised that the SG Culture Pass will be used exclusively for local arts and heritage programmes.

Its aim, according to MCCY, is to foster pride and appreciation for local arts, heritage and culture, and encourage Singaporeans to support local artists and cultural practitioners.

MCCY added that the pass will support a variety of ticketed literary and performing arts programmes, such as dance, music, theatre, as well as visual arts, and heritage programmes.

The ministry will accept programme applications from registered organisations, collectives and self-employed persons in the arts and heritage sector.

These programmes must involve Singapore citizens or permanent residents playing a key role in the programme's conceptualisation, creation, production and presentation.

The programmes also need to be ticketed by SG Culture Pass authorised ticketing partners.

Interested programme providers can sign up to participate in SG Culture Pass from Mar. 10

"We want to encourage not just attendance but interest and a strong affinity in our local arts and heritage practitioners," Tong added.

Other initiatives

Cultural Matching Fund

The government will also increase the Cultural Matching Fund (CMF) to S$300 million — up by by S$100 million — in the financial year 2025 to encourage giving to arts and heritage.

The CMF was established by MCCY in 2014 with a sum of S$200 million to provide dollar-for-dollar matching grants for private cash donations to registered charities in the arts and heritage sector.

There were two top-ups of S$150 million in 2017 and 2022.

This has brought the total investment to CMF to S$600 million.

The CMF aims to create a giving climate by encouraging more people in Singapore to contribute to Singapore's culture sector.

As of 2024, 127 arts and heritage charities have applied to CMF at least once, and over S$400 million in matching grants have been disbursed to them since its launch.

Student's access to arts

The National Arts Council (NAC) will increase its efforts in arts education from 2025 to 2027.

NAC will implement the Arts Education Programme in all Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) supported preschools and Performing Arts-Based Learning for all lower secondary cohorts in Ministry of Education (MOE) schools by 2027.

Arts in public spaces

In 2025, NAC will launch a public art programme that will enhance accessibility to public art, allocate funding resources, and foster appreciation for public art among Singaporeans.

The programme will identify accessible locations across Singapore, including familiar heartland areas, to display public artworks.

More information about the public art programme will be shared later.

Arts scholarship

MCCY and NAC will enhance arts scholarships by topping up funding for the existing NAC Arts Scholarship for degree studies and launching a new NAC Creative Arts Scholarship for pre-tertiary and diploma studies.

The new scholarship will be offered by the School of Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Lasalle College of Arts.

In 2024, NAC awarded 13 Arts Scholarships to individuals pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in various arts disciplines.

Workforce

NAC will also build on and expand its support for the arts workforce.

From 2025, NAC will work with training partners to offer more workplace-based training to address in-demand jobs and skill gaps, augment arts self-employed persons' access to on-the-job training, and diversify development pathways and networks for arts self-employed persons.

NAC will provide arts apprenticeships and train-and-attach to arts programmes.

Top photos via Mothership