Singapore’s largest indoor all-day night festival, Artbox, has made its 2024 comeback! A concept that first began in Thailand, it’s held multiple much-anticipated editions here in Singapore – each one brimming with energy and vibrant thrills for all. This year, co-organisers INVADE and SGAG have brought their brilliant minds together for ARTBOX AVENUE, a street concept that embraces modern and youthful culture.
Step into an enthralling experience with surprises down every alley of Artbox Avenue
It takes place in Singapore Expo Hall 2 – a bigger and better space to contain even more fun. The sprawling venue has turned into an urban scene divided into different zones, each with a unique theme – covering experiences, games, food and retail. Stepping in, you’ll first be greeted by some towering centrepieces, decked out in sprawling murals from overseas artistes like Cloakwork and MonKiddo, with their quirky characters adding charm and style. Also keep a look out for street signs that immerse you in the avenue experience and guide you to various zones.
This year’s design doesn’t only focus on visuals, but they’ve also made sustainability a key point, so you’ll find features like an amphitheatre made out of recycled pallets for you to soak in the mood. While you navigate through the bustling streets of Artbox Avenue, in the background you’ll be welcomed by captivating performers which include the likes of Jocelyn Ng, a virtuoso violinist, local bands like Reverie and Rush Hour, or even specially invited pop performers The Parkinson, who hail from Thailand.
With so many activities available, it almost feels like a theme park where you’re not quite sure where to begin. We’d recommend friends and groups to head over to one of their new offerings, the Open Plaza, where bonding activities are aplenty. Within Open Plaza, you’ll first find Chess St – where a unique chess experience has been curated by Aliwal Chess Club. Newbies to the game don’t have to play, but you can opt to customise your own merch while the pros face off against Chess Grandmasters, or partake in the mega chess championships.
Paint your own tasty chocolate masterpiece at the Janice Wong workshop!
For those who enjoy something slightly more laidback, get crafty over at their selection of workshops. We tried our hands at the Janice Wong chocolate painting workshop, but other vendors also offer clay making jewellery, perfume making, or essential oil blending – making this a one stop shop to engage all the senses.
Close by you’ll find the Gamestop Arena where you flex your Smashbros or Mario Kart skills on their Nintendo Switch consoles, or get some good laughs as you watch your friends indulge in some VR gameplay. One highlight for us was their Teo Heng KTV container – which literally delivers your favourite karaoke hits in a container setting, decked out in plush furniture from their partner NINE.N. Trust us when we say it was liberating to scream our lungs out to Linkin Park’s “Numb”, and then step right back out into the ARTBOX AVENUE atmosphere and carry on with the rest of the night’s fun.
Each entry ticket entitles you to 1 AI photo booth experience, 1 song in their Teo Heng KTV container, 1 round of VR/Switch Gameplay, along with a single try at the Arcade Alley claw machine, which has up to 1000 prizes up for grabs daily. If you can’t get enough, you can opt to extend your Switch or VR sessions for an hour at S$10 and S$30 respectively.
Be one of the brave few to attempt the Hopscotch of Pain!
On the other end of the hall, you’ll spot (or perhaps first hear) the SGAG Stage, which hosts a daily lineup of exciting activities, where emerging champions stand to take home the top prize of $888 cash. Catch the bold and brave take on the Hopscotch of Pain, a true test of their pain tolerance as they attempt to make a crossing on acupuncture mats. Other hilarious challenge concepts are a homage to Singaporean pastimes, like the National Piak Cockroach Championship and the National Water Bottle Tornado Championship. If spectating is more of your thing, they also feature a Creators Death Match, where you can catch your favourite creators and online personalities battle it out onstage.
Check out local and regional crafts across more than 180 booths at ARTBOX AVENUE
The shopaholic in me was itching to get to the shopping, and definitely did not disappoint. With over 180 international and local artisans, it was a treasure trove of finds that span across trendsetting fashion, traditional crafts, stationery and collectibles. As you trawl the booths, you’ll even find a K-Avenue that showcases artwork and food unique to Korea, shops to customise luggage tags, or film cameras for you to capture your memories with that retro vibe. I enjoyed being able to meet the artists themselves to learn more about their business, and I spent so much time poring over the adorable stickers and prints until the lights turned on and it was time for the event to close for the night.
Finally, with all the walking, you’re bound to be famished. When that happens, the Flavour Boulevard comes to the rescue. Similarly, you’ll be greeted by over a hundred local and regional vendors showcasing their chops. They have you covered from bite sized snacks including the viral Korean cheese pull coin, to desserts from Whiskdom, refreshing drinks and proper meal offerings from steak to pastas or mini hotpots. We recommend coming with a group so you get to savour the best of each cuisine, as we couldn’t resist the freshly grilled Thai moo pings, nor could we stop ourselves from getting some crispy sushi tacos. At the end of it, you’ll be wishing your stomach could expand infinitely, but that’s why we think you could spend a full day indulging in the Artbox experience, so you get to relish these goodies across multiple meals.
Whether it’s a date or a fun catchup with friends, ARTBOX AVENUE promises a vibrant and immersive experience that has something for everyone. Catch them on their final weekend before it’s too late!
ARTBOX AVENUE 2024
3-4 Feb 2023 (Sun), 12PM – 11PM (last entry 10PM)
Singapore Expo Hall 2
1 Expo Dr, Singapore 486150
Admission tickets: Weekend: S$7 (online presale)/S$8 (on-site purchase) per single general entry
