Homegrown music takes centre stage at Sands Expo & Convention Centre

I Play SG Music initiative at Sands Expo & Convention Centre,

(Credit National Arts Council)

Visitors to Sands Expo & Convention Centre can now listen to the tunes of homegrown artists and learn about the local music scene, with the launch of the I Play SG Music initiative at the region’s leading events venue. 

The introduction of local music to Sands Expo is part of a three-year partnership between Marina Bay Sands and National Arts Council (NAC), inked last September, to bring the arts closer to local and international visitors at the integrated resort.

I Play SG Music is part of Hear65, a national movement to celebrate and promote all forms of Singapore music. 

A curated playlist of local artists, including Jasmine Sokko, Linying, Nathan Hartono, Sezairi and The Great Spy Experiment, will be the go-to soundtrack for all events. It will also be piped along the venue’s corridors and Origin + Bloom café at Level 3. 

For a start, there will be 40 artists and songs, with more to be added over time. Ong Wee Min, Marina Bay Sands’ Vice President of Sales & MICE, said, “The launch of I Play SG Music at Sands Expo & Convention Centre signals our further commitment to supporting the Singapore arts scene. 

This will enrich the meetings experience, layering on depth by introducing homegrown artists and music to both local and international visitors, and allowing them to develop a deeper appreciation for the arts.” 

Lynette Pang, NAC’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, said, “NAC is excited to partner Marina Bay Sands to launch I Play SG Music that will allow Singaporeans and visitors to enjoy local music while enlivening Singapore's largest meeting and convention space. In championing the arts, the NAC continually looks at working with like-minded partners, such as MBS, who have been steadfast in supporting our efforts to enrich lives through the arts, and contribute to Singapore as a more vibrant and distinctive city." 

Since the launch of the partnership, Marina Bay Sands has established the Sands Innovative Arts Fund under NAC’s Sustain the Arts Fund, with a S$500,000 donation. 

The contribution reaffirms the resort’s commitment to the development of Singapore’s arts scene, and will go towards supporting the future of emerging art forms and innovative creators. This is one of the biggest donations that the resort has made in support of the arts to date. 

Applications closed in February this year, and details on the successful applicants will be shared later. Recognition from local MICE industry at Singapore MICE Awards During the prestigious Singapore MICE Awards held at Sands Expo yesterday, Marina Bay Sands won Venue of the Year, while Sales Manager Edward Ong was named Emerging Talent of the Year. 

This is the second consecutive time that the resort has won Venue of the Year, since the awards were launched last year. 

The recognition from the local MICE industry is testament to Sands Expo’s strength as a leading events venue in the region and its driving force – the Team Members behind it. 

Earlier this year, the venue hosted hallmark events such as Rotary International Convention and ART SG as well as new-to-Singapore shows such as PCMA APAC The Business of Events and The Meetings Show Asia Pacific. 

In the coming months, key returning events such as TOKEN2049, ITB Asia, and Singapore International Agri-food Week will be staged on property. 

Beyond bringing in a vibrant calendar of business events, Sands Expo also focuses on nurturing and upskilling talent, sending its Team Members for courses such as the Events Industry Council’s Sustainable Events Professional Certificate program and engaging university and polytechnic students regularly to deepen their interest in the industry