A musical dining experience, conversations about poetry and city-wide gallery trails: How to break out of your usual routine

When work fills most of the week, it is easy to spend your free time on autopilot doing the same things over and over again. Another dinner out. Another evening on the sofa. Another afternoon scrolling for something to do.

Breaking that routine does not always require a holiday. Sometimes, all it takes is a different experience to reset your perspective. Whether that means laughing through a musical, discovering contemporary art with friends or spending an evening listening to poetry, the arts offer a chance to slow down, recharge and reconnect – with yourself and those around you.

If you are looking for a better way to spend your weekday evenings or weekends, these seven picks are an easy place to start.

See the world through someone else’s perspective

Drawn from playwright Claire Teo’s lived experiences as a visually-impaired individual, this play is a moving reminder of theatre’s ability to build empathy by placing audiences in someone else’s shoes.

When a visually impaired girl moves to a new neighbourhood, she finds unexpected recognition in the mother of an autistic child. As their lives continue and they move through familiar institutions where survival is learnt and rarely questioned, pressure begins to build and what is reasonable becomes strained. The play confronts what often goes unseen in daily life, the behaviours that are justified and whether a community can support each other before it is too late.

MONSTRESS offers something quietly powerful: an invitation to slow down, feel deeply and reconnect with what matters beyond the daily grind.

MONSTRESS
By Claire Teo and ART:DIS (Arts and Disability) Singapore
When: Sept 4 and 5 at 8pm; and Sept 6 at 3pm
Where: Esplanade Theatre Studio (Level 4), 1 Esplanade Drive
Ticket info: From $42 (SG Culture Pass eligible)
More details here

Laugh, switch off and share an unforgettable night out

Sometimes the best way to unwind isn’t another dinner reservation – it’s a dinner with live entertainment. Making a return after its sold-out run in 2025, Fried Rice Paradise – The Makan Party combines a four-course meal with a lively musical, turning a simple night out into something more memorable.

Watch the culinary rivalry between two daughters unfold through catchy songs, comedy and unexpected twists, with actors performing around you in the hotel’s ballroom. The immersive format makes it easy to forget about work for a few hours and simply enjoy the experience.

Fried Rice Paradise – The Makan Party
By Singapore Repertory Theatre
When: Until Sept 11, 7.30pm on Tuesdays to Fridays; 12.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturdays; 12.30pm and 6pm on Sundays
Where: Paradox Singapore, 20 Merchant Court
Ticket info: From $168 (SG Culture Pass eligible)
More details here

Experience storytelling on a grander scale

Step away from your daily routine and into the world of opera with the Singaporean premiere of the third instalment of German composer Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

Performed by over 140 volunteer musicians and conducted by Lü Shao-Chia, Siegfried combines a full orchestra, soaring vocals and mythology-inspired storytelling that is unlike any film or television series.

Sung in German with English surtitles, the semi-staged production by the Orchestra of the Music Makers offers newcomers an accessible way to experience one of opera’s greatest works.

Wagner’s Siegfried
By The Orchestra of Music Makers
When: Sept 5 at 4pm
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive
Ticket info: From $18 (SG Culture Pass eligible)
More details here

Rediscover heritage through Chinese contemporary dance

Through movement, shadow and light, Echoes Beyond Time reflects on family, heritage and memory, inviting audiences to consider how traditions continue to shape modern life. Tying past and present together, the show asks how we interact with and preserve cultural legacy when it is slowly being forgotten.

Presented as a double bill by Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre, the 75-minute performance offers a rare, unhurried evening to slow down and encourages thoughtful reflection long after the curtain falls.

Echoes Beyond Time
By Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre
When: Sept 19 at 7.45pm
Where: Drama Centre Theatre (Level 3), National Library, 100 Victoria Street
Ticket info: From $35 (SG Culture Pass eligible)
More details here

Trade doomscrolling for meaningful conversations

Blending conversations about poetry with the vibes of a book club, Poetry Glazers is the chance for people to bring in poems they love, written by someone else, and read them to a group. Amid the noise of the everyday, it is a rare opportunity to put the phone down, be present and share something that genuinely moved you with a room full of strangers who might feel the same way.

The result is conversations that are thoughtful, relaxed and refreshingly different. Whether you are reading aloud or simply listening, there’s no expectation to be a poetry expert. Just come curious. And if this leaves you wanting more, Sing Lit Station also holds other literary programmes every Thursday that welcomes anyone keen to discover something new.

Poetry Glazers
By Sing Lit Station
When: Every third Thursday of the month at 7.30pm
Where: Sing Lit Station, #02-01, 22 Dickson Road
Ticket info: Free; voluntary contributions are appreciated.
More details here

Let live music transform your evening

Originally a four-part concert series for SG60 last year, Made in Singapore makes a comeback at Our Tampines Hub. For the performance on Sept 5, expect jazz singer Miss Lou and flautist Niranjan Pandian to revisit familiar local favourites, creating a nostalgic soundtrack that brings audiences of all ages together over shared memories. Look out for the Travelling Art Carts by National Gallery Singapore, bringing artworks from the national collection right to your neighbourhood.

Presented as part of ArtsEverywhere @ CDC, the performance and fringe activities bring the arts into everyday community spaces, making it easy to give yourself a proper break without any fuss. Sometimes, all it takes is a familiar song or a chance encounter with the arts to help you unwind and reconnect with the people around you.

Made in Singapore
By Miss Lou ft. Niranjan Pandian
When: Sept 5
Performances: 11.30am and 12.20pm
Fringe activities by National Gallery Singapore: 10.30am to 12.30pm
Where: Our Tampines Hub, Festive Plaza, 1 Tampines Walk
Ticket info: Free
More details here

See the city differently, one gallery at a time

Presented by the Art Galleries Association Singapore, this year’s edition of Singapore Gallery Month brings together more than 100 experiences across the island that you can enjoy at your own pace.

Happening over five weeks, it is the perfect way to reflect and recharge – whether you spend your day immersed in a workshop or a whole afternoon gallery hopping. With programmes ranging from exhibitions, studio visits and precinct tours, to artist talks and hands-on workshops, there is always something new to discover and learn. Away from the demands of everyday life, slowing down with the arts is a quiet reminder that there is always time to rest and unwind amid the busyness of life.

Singapore Gallery Month 2026
By Art Galleries Association Singapore
When: Until Sept 13
Where: Various locations
Ticket info: A mix of free and ticketed programmes
More details here

Discover more stories about how the arts can enrich your life here.

For more, head to Catch.sg, Singapore’s national platform on all things arts and culture. The $100 SG Culture Pass can be used on eligible events.