How to use SG Culture Pass credits from Sept 1: Choose from over 400 events such as shows, workshops
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
About 70 per cent of approved programmes cost $50 and below, meaning that people can use the credits for at least two events.
PHOTO: THE BUSINESS TIMES
Follow topic:
SINGAPORE – A website displaying more than 400 arts and heritage performances, workshops and experiences eligible for the SG Culture Pass initiative will be launched on Sept 1. All Singapore citizens aged 18 and above can start using their digital credits, worth $100, at sgculturepass.gov.sg
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said an SMS notification from the gov.sg SMS sender ID will be sent to all who qualify for the credits in September, but there is no need to wait for the SMS to start using them.
It also said it is considering the possibility of including film screenings in the mix. Purchasing Singapore books with the credits will be possible at a later unspecified date.
The first-of-its-kind initiative, announced during Budget 2025 in February
It tests whether removing initial financial hurdles could prompt more people to attend arts and culture events. The hope is that after the first few subsidised tickets, people would be sufficiently hooked to continue paying for future programmes, widening the pool of arts consumers here.
A total of $300 million has been set aside for the scheme. Credits cannot be donated nor exchanged for cash, but may be used to purchase tickets for one’s family members and friends.
To use the credits, people should go to sgculturepass.gov.sg
Selecting an event will redirect users to one of six ticketing partners – Sistic, BookMyShow, Klook, Pelago, Globaltix and Trip.com. Click on SG Culture Pass under payment and available credits will be applied in full. People can top up any shortfall with credit card payment or PayNow.
The currently approved programmes include a graffiti crash course by Art Outreach, a city tour of places mentioned in anthology Streets And Places Of Singapore led by curator Lee Kok Leong and organised by publisher TrendLit Publishing, and The Theatre Practice’s Mandopop musical Partial Eclipse Of The Heart.
Rehearsals for Partial Eclipse Of The Heart by The Theatre Practice. The Mandopop musical is an approved programme for the Culture Pass.
PHOTO: THE THEATRE PRACTICE
About 70 per cent of approved programmes cost $50 and below, meaning that people can use the credits for at least two events.
More programmes will be added at a later date. Applicants with at least three years of experience in the arts and heritage sector can continue submitting their projects for the scheme through partners.sgculturepass.gov.sg
In response to media queries, MCCY said it rejected fewer than 5 per cent of the total applications from arts and heritage organisations, either because forms were incomplete or applicants had not fully understood requirements.
MCCY also said it is working with nursing homes and active ageing centres to help seniors redeem the credits, including through organised outings, as well as tertiary institutions to raise awareness among students of the SG Culture Pass.
Throughout September, dedicated SG Culture Pass ambassadors will be stationed at 18 community clubs from Yew Tee to Tampines West for those unclear on the details. The public may also seek assistance at the nine ServiceSG centres until the scheme ends on Dec 31, 2028.
In a posting on Instagram, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong noted that Singapore has over a relatively short period of time forged a distinctive Singaporean culture and identity. Encouraging Singaporeans to use their credits, he said: “We must all do our part to nurture this Singaporean culture together.
“Explore something new. Support our artists and cultural practitioners.”
Warning users against scams, MCCY said it will never send SMSes asking for users’ personal information or banking details. No transactions should happen over SMS. For extra help, call 6338-3632.
Other sector-specific credits have been issued by the Government through other schemes, such as ActiveSG credits that can be used to pay for sports facilities and programmes.
There is no guarantee that schemes like these to encourage certain behaviour would be enthusiastically taken up by the public. In June, SkillsFuture Singapore said about 70 per cent of those who received the $500 SkillsFuture credit top-up expiring in December 2025 had yet to use them.
