For three unforgettable weeks, from 21 August to 5 September, the heart of Singapore’s Bras Basah.Bugis Precinct was transformed into a canvas of living stories as the SMU Arts Fest 2026 brought the city campus alive with an iconic theme: LEGENDARY.
Across the SMU campus, Singapore folktales came to life through massive shadow puppets while dynamic rhythms filled the air, and legendary stories, music and traditions found fresh expression through art and performance. Staged alongside Singapore Night Festival, the event brought together 400 performers — including 275 undergraduate and postgraduate students alongside alumni from 14 SMU arts clubs.
Heritage Reimagined for the Modern Stage
In her welcome address at the Opening Night of the festival, SMU President Professor Lily Kong highlighted that the event is one of her favourites in the SMU calendar and expressed excitement about this year’s theme. “I like how it speaks to past, present and future, and to the mission of the university in harnessing talent, drawing deep into our cultural resources, and using that to look ahead,” she said.
She also emphasised that the event gives the university the opportunity to work with the community around it. “I do not believe in a university that is inward-looking, that is only interested in our own metrics and our own interests and divorced from the rest of community and society. I think a university is situated in community and society and the Arts Fest allows us to do that in another way beyond what we usually do,” she said.
At the heart of SMU Arts Fest 2026 was more than just the retelling of age-old tales; it turned them into dynamic, living conversations. Through an eclectic mix of contemporary dance, photography, fine art, theatre, and high-energy music, the student creators of SMU Arts Fest explored the shared memories and cultural roots that bind generations together.
"Every legend gains new life when viewed through fresh perspectives, bold creativity, and contemporary voices,” said Seah Wee Thye (Weetz), Festival Director and Head of Arts & Creative Experience at SMU Office of Student Life. He added, “To me, reinvention is a form of preservation. If you keep telling stories, the legends will keep being remembered."
A Multidisciplinary Symphony for the Senses
ONCE UPON AN ISLAND, the festival presentation of Oliver Chong’s non-verbal work What the Island Remembers, anchored SMU Arts Fest’s connection to the Singapore Night Festival. The performance held at SMU CONNEXION, mesmerised audiences through large-scale shadow puppetry, contemporary physical movement, and sweeping outdoor staging. The production expertly wove together familiar tales of the founding of Singapura, the Redhill Swordfish legend, and Kusu Island into a single, breathtaking narrative of sacrifice, survival, and identity. Wee E-Chiing, Assistant Director, Arts, Office of Student Life explained the experience for the performers, "There were so many things for them to explore and learn — from the techniques, the movement, the way the torchlight moves, and how everything translates into a bigger space."
Held at SMU de Suantio Gallery, visual arts exhibition, INTO THE LORE, brought fine art, photography, and creative prose into conversation with regional folklore. Adding a meaningful layer of social connection, the gallery also showcased heartwarming artworks created by seniors from community partner St Vincent Home during pre-festival workshops. Responding to the theme alongside SMU student artists, their works offered an intergenerational perspective on how legends can be retold and given new meaning.
At SMU Campus Green, BEATIFIC brought together SMU Samba Masala and invited percussion groups, showcasing Chinese, Malay and Indian percussion traditions through a dynamic line-up of performances.There was also ICONS that paid homage to music legends across Asia and the globe through soaring multi-genre ensemble sets. "Our medium itself mirrors the show’s theme: something classic reimagined. Learning these pieces became a way of discovering the music that shaped the generations before me,” said Yap Jun Hong, from SMU Guitarissimo who performed in ICONS. The Year 3, School of Computing and Information Systems student added, “Regardless of background, culture, or age, I hope everyone in the audience is able to enjoy themselves — whether by reliving childhood memories through songs they grew up with, or discovering something new."
This year, the festival also collaborated with Temasek Shophouse to reach out to new audiences through a fringe programme called LITTLE LEGENDS, featuring three student artists from INTO THE LORE, offering the public a peek into their creative process and how heritage inspires modern art. There was also LET’S JAM, a vibrant, inclusive music session featuring SMU SoundFoundry, which brought together community members of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to make music together in an open, welcoming setting.
Creating Future-Ready Leaders Through the Arts
Behind the spectacular performances lies a deeper educational core. At SMU, the arts are an essential cornerstone of a broad-based education. By collaborating directly with professional artists, community partners, and industry mentors, students develop vital human skills — learning to communicate bold vision, experiment without fear of failure, and lead across disciplines in a rapidly shifting world.
As Mandy Yuen, Student Marketing Director of SMU Arts Fest and Year 4 Lee Kong Chian School of Business student, enthused, “Events like SMU Arts Fest really create the opportunities for students to connect and collaborate beyond the classroom, and discover new things about ourselves.” She added, “It gives every student the space to create something meaningful together, while exploring what it means to be legendary in our own ways!"
While the stage lights at SMU Arts Fest 2026 have dimmed for now, the creative spark lit across campus will continue to resonate long after the festival.
