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SAW 2026 Open Call

SAW 2026 - Open Call for Proposals

SAW 2026 Open Call for Proposals

Image of 'Before and After the Unknown' by Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen, as part of SAW 2025.

 

Singapore Art Week (SAW) is an annual visual arts platform that profiles homegrown artists and art projects. Held in January each year, SAW takes place in and around the island across various venues where we live and work: arts and cultural institutions, private galleries, art precincts, independent art spaces, public spaces, and homes. SAW is a platform that brings fresh and innovative programmes to both local and international audiences.

The 14th Edition of SAW will be held from 22 to 31 January 2026.

Open Call for Proposals

The SAW 2026 Open Call welcomes interdisciplinary and participatory projects that foreground collaborations between artists, disciplines, artists, and their public, as well as artists and the environment.

For SAW 2026, proposals should focus on at least one of the three following programming priorities to be considered:

  1. Proposals that present collaborations and/or artistic exchanges between local and Southeast Asian artists, curators, and/or producers;
  2. Proposals that present public art within any of the key precincts of SAW, thus offering audiences unique art experiences;
  3. Highlighting young curators and emerging artists and/or our artistic legacies.

Project proposals must respond to the outlines and programming priorities of SAW 2026. Proposals that meet one or more of the above programming priorities will be evaluated positively.

Previous editions of SAW have seen projects situated within the key arts and heritage precincts of:

  • Gillman Barracks
  • Tanjong Pagar District (incl. Tanjong Pagar Distripark)
  • Bras Basah Bugis (specifically around Waterloo Street)
  • Civic District

Beyond this, SAW projects can and have taken place beyond in unconventional sites, such as cinemas, bookstores, transport nodes, homes and more, in keeping with SAW’s tagline #ArtTakesOver. Applicants may consider other potential spots for activation.

To learn more about the Open Call and submission guidelines, please click here for the brief: SAW 2026 Open Call Brief

How to Apply

Interested applicants are required to fill up an electronic application form via FormSG and submit the required supporting documents (as stated in the brief) via Dropbox by 14 May 2025, 2355 hours.

Applicants are highly encouraged to look through the form and prepare all the necessary information and documents beforehand, prior to filling up the application form.

If you would like to discuss your proposals with us ahead of the submission deadline, please do not hesitate to contact the Singapore Art Week team at artweek@nac.gov.sg.

Briefing Session

We encourage interested parties to attend briefing session conducted by the SAW team to learn more about SAW and the Open Call. The session will take place on the following dates:

  • 23 April 2025 (Wednesday), 7pm

Please register for the briefing session here: go.gov.sg/saw2026-opencall-briefing

General Guidelines

Singapore-based artists, curators, producers, collectives, institutions, organisations, and corporations are welcome to participate in the Open Call.

Proposals that involve collaborations with foreigners are eligible as long as the lead applicant(s) is a Singaporean Citizen or Permanent Resident (PR) based in Singapore and that at least half (50%) of the artistic team and artist(s) comprises of Singaporeans or Permanent Residents.

Applicants are wholly responsible for ensuring that all components of the application are received by the National Arts Council (NAC) before the application deadline. NAC will not be able to accord any extension beyond this deadline.

SAW's funding support varies by project type and applicant. All projects are evaluated by a panel and the amount of funding received by successful projects is dependent upon an evaluation score. Successful projects may receive funding of up to S$50,000.

Successful applicants are required to have their projects open to the public by 22nd January 2026. Projects must be presented for the entire duration of Singapore Art Week 2026 (22—31st January 2026). The project’s Start Date may also begin before 22 January 2026 and its End Date may extend beyond 31 January 2026.

Applicants are required to include the proposed venue and complete list of artists/artworks to allow for a more holistic assessment of the proposals. Should artwork images be unavailable at the point of application, applicants are required to submit preparatory drawings/visuals.

Applicants should not include open calls in their proposals as a complete list of artists/artworks is required for evaluation.