SINGAPORE - The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre's (SCCC) annual festival returns next month for four weeks of daily art and cultural programmes, following a hiatus last year due to the pandemic.

To be held from May 14 to June 12, the SCCC Cultural Extravaganza aims to break new ground with its hybrid physical and digital format.

It includes free and ticketed on-ground events, online streams and pay-as-you-wish activities.

Headliners include pioneer xinyao icon Liang Wern Fook, actor Wang Weiliang, singer Kit Chan and rapper Shigga Shay.

Activities include workshops such as an online showcase of the cultural aspects of tea and walking tours of districts such as Katong and Joo Chiat.

The SCCC supports arts and cultural groups in developing local Chinese culture and promoting it to people of all ages.

This year, the festival will present cross-cultural and multidisciplinary experiences.

Pan, a dance performance by T.H.E Dance Company, explores how Chinese culture merges and converges with other cultures.

SCCC's The Journey blends the ruan, a Chinese string instrument, with traditional Bharatanatyam Indian classical dance.

SCCC chief executive Low Sze Wee said: "We want to push the limits of imagination and innovation to provide unique experiences at Cultural Extravaganza. There will be plenty of opportunities to learn, reflect and, most importantly, enjoy our culture."

The centre's programmes director Lee Ee Wurn said that while safe management measures made it challenging to organise the festival, SCCC is excited to go digital.

Odyssey, for instance, interprets the Chinese literary work Romance Of The Three Kingdoms as an interactive digital art journey.

Physical event capacities are expected to remain at fewer than 250 attendees, except for the Sing.Lang concert on June 12 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which can accommodate 750 attendees. SCCC said it is looking to expand capacity for the concert.

Ticket sales have begun on Sistic for certain events. More information on the festival can be found at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre's website.