Singapore Fringe Festival returns in 2027, still fund-raising for $80K target
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A Lesbian Love Story: The Musical was one of the shows for the 2026 edition of the Singapore Fringe Festival.
PHOTO: CRISPIAN CHAN
SINGAPORE – The Singapore Fringe Festival returns for its 23rd edition from Jan 13 to 24, 2027, despite falling short of its $80,000 fund-raising target.
Organiser The Necessary Stage (TNS) said in a statement that, to date, $59,592 has been raised in a fund-raiser which ended on March 31. While the 2026 festival was staged on a shoestring budget of $50,000, rising venue and manpower costs have driven up expenses.
So, the arts company is launching another fund-raiser at bit.ly/fringe27ally for an additional $23,000. It ends on Sept 29.
Donations above $10 are eligible for tax exemptions and will also be matched dollar for dollar by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s Cultural Matching Fund. In the previous fund-raising round, donations were matched by the Tote Board’s Enhanced Fundraising Programme.
TNS general manager and the festival’s executive producer Melissa Lim said the company has been moved by the community’s response to fund-raising efforts. “So many people offered not only donations, but also kind words of encouragement and did their utmost to share our appeal on their personal social media accounts as well.”
The Fringe Festival, launched in 2005, is one of Singapore’s longest-running fringe festivals.
Like its international counterparts, it is an important platform for non-mainstream, experimental works.
It has carved a distinctive niche over the years with its dedication to socially engaged works, not only programming but also commissioning works that address thorny topics ranging from mental health and LGBTQI themes to climate change and migrant worker rights.
Telco company M1 was the event’s title sponsor from 2005, but withdrew in 2025. TNS succeeded in crowdfunding the 2026 festival to the tune of $50,000. The shoestring budget, however, meant a slate of just four shows, including Invisible, TNS’ collaboration with disability arts group ART:DIS, and A Lesbian Love Story: The Musical.
This 22nd edition saw packed houses. Ms Lim added: “It has been so invigorating to witness the public stepping up and joining us at the shows in 2026, and we hope the same will happen next January.”
The company is still hoping to find a new title sponsor for the event. The programme for the 2027 festival will be announced in November.
