Shawn Hoo

Shawn is a journalist on the arts beat at The Straits Times. He reviews books and reports on theatre and the visual arts as well as other cultural issues, for the Life desk. Prior to joining ST in 2022, he spent two years teaching writing and literature at higher education institutions in Shanghai and Singapore. He believes the arts, arts education and arts writing are essential.

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Let loose for more fun at Dream Academy’s The Divorce Party!

Dream Academy's interactive dinner theatre show The Divorce Party! runs at the Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore till Dec 14.

Technopreneur Metakovan, who spent $90 million on NFT art, opens Singapore gallery Padimai

Singapore-based technopreneur Vignesh Sundaresan (left) has commissioned Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson for a virtual-reality work at his new space Padimai Art & Tech Studio.

A wish list as audiences grow: more inclusive programming, mid-sized venues, in-depth dialogues

ST20251109_202556300550: Gin Tay/ shswf10/ Shawn Hoo/
Attendees at Singapore Writers Festival- Tomorrow's Architects: A Sci-fi Conversation Between Friends held at Victoria Theatre on Nov 9, 2025.

Singapore stunt school Sandbox faces bankruptcy, dealing blow to film and theatre industry

shsandbox19 - Founder of Sandbox Training Ground Peps Goh (centre, in white) says he is mulling closure and bankruptcy of the local stunt school.
PHOTO: REMUS KOH

Writers like R.F. Kuang and Fuchsia Dunlop rave about Singapore food, museums and the fest

R.F. Kuang (left) eating a bowl of laksa and Fuchsia Dunlop on a food hop in Singapore.

Why your pumpkin spice latte comes from colonial violence

(From left) Singaporean poet Daryl Lim Wei Jie moderated the Empire On A Plate panel with writers Sathnam Sanghera and Meher Mirza on Nov 15 at the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF).

The Straits Times Weekly Bestsellers Nov 15

(From left) When They Burned The Butterfly by Wen-yi Lee, I Am Not Good Enough by Ismail Gafoor and Low Shi Ping, and Ubin Elephant by Alan John and illustrated by Quek Hong Shin.

BookTalk: Best-selling non-fiction writer Bill Bryson turns to fiction for enjoyment

Best-selling author Bill Bryson will take the Singapore stage at Capitol Theatre on Feb 4 and 5, 2026.

Use Culture Pass credits for Affordable Art Fair tickets

Affordable Art Fair returns with its largest edition and the entry price is now SG Culture Pass eligible.

Thai artist Jamilah Haji’s embroidery work wins UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year Award

2025 UOB Painting of the Year , UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year Award winner Jamilah Haji of Thailand in front of her artwork titled Dua (Pray for a Blessing) at the National Gallery Singapore on Nov 12, 2025.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2025 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.