An invitation for art leaders to confront what true sustainability means and to position the arts as catalysts for urgent change.

Sustainability is not only about resources or systems; it begins with how we live, work, and relate to one another. The way we make art — how we hold space, share labour, and build relationships — shapes the health of our ecosystem. In this conversation, we reflect on our daily practices, how we care for ourselves and our collaborators, and what it means to create environments where people can thrive. Holistic transformation starts with people.

Five regions. Five speakers. Five minutes each.

Building on the momentum of the Theatre Green Book (first initiated by Renew Culture in the UK), arts leaders across Australia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore have begun adapting and advancing this movement within their own contexts.

This session offers a snapshot of what is happening across the region — the challenges, breakthroughs, and local adaptations. By sharing experiences across different cultural and production systems, we aim to spark ideas, encouragement, and practical pathways for artmakers at any stage of their sustainability journey.

Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) is a participant-led format that creates space for shared inquiry, dialogue, and exchange. Rather than a traditional presentation, each session is shaped and hosted by participants who wish to convene conversations around ideas, questions, or practices connected to this year’s Academy theme of sustainability.

This format invites artists, producers, curators, and cultural practitioners to propose and facilitate their own conversations — creating space for collective thinking, peer learning, and the exploration of perspectives that may not always find room in formal panels.

Designed as a flexible, drop-in, drop-out space, participants are invited to join the artists in their open workshop, for a tactile activity with no formal structure.

Dive into the creative process at your own pace, and engage with new materials and the artists.

How can arts organisations, festivals, and collectives — spanning non-profit initiatives to commercially successful ventures — come together to drive sustainable practice?

9:30 - 10:30 | Finance Committee
10:45 - 11:45 | Advancement Committee
12:00 - 1:00 | Nominating Meeting
1:15 - 2:15 | Program Committee
3:00 - 4:00 | Membership Committee
4:15 - 5:15 | Governance Committee

In conjunction with its Golden Jubilee, Apsaras Dance Company is proud to collaborate with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay to present an exclusive preview excerpt of Agápe, to be premiered in August 2026.

Inspired by the Greek word agápe that encapsulates the meaning of deep human connection, Agápe is a multidisciplinary work exploring the beauty of human relationships: with oneself, between others, with nature, and across cultures.

The performance brings together leading Indian classical and crossover musicians from both Singapore and India, musicians from the SSO, Singaporean dancers from Apsaras Dance Company and guest dancers from India. Led by Artistic Director Aravinth Kumarasamy in collaboration with SSO’s Joshua Tan, the creative team also features choreographer and guest dancer Rama Vaidhyanathan (India), principle dancer Mohanapriyan Thavarajah (Sri Lanka), music composer Dr Rajkumar Bharathi (India), with music arranger and director Sai Shravanam (India).

This optional performance has limited capacity, and requires delegates to RSVP in advance.

Performer

Audiences today are constantly shifting – in age, values, expectations and the ways they experience art.

As artists and art organisations navigate changing cultural and technological landscapes, how do we keep our finger on who our audiences are – and who they could become? How do we reach those who have never felt the arts were meant for them?

From intimate encounters to mass digital reach, from traditional spectators to co-creators: this long table conversation invites everyone to reflect on what it means to build connection and relevance today.

Together, we’ll explore how artmakers continue to find their people and how audiences, in turn, shape the art we make.

Speakers and Moderator*

Our hosts have curated Open City—three guided tour options that invite you to explore Singapore from the inside out. A curated lunch by local culinary figures will kick off every Open City tour.

To join, delegates must RSVP in advance

Host

What becomes possible when artists create in dialogue with other sectors? How can the arts shape — not simply respond to — the ways other sectors define value, innovation, and human experience?

This panel explores how cross-sector collaboration is expanding the frontiers of human-centred design. Through real-world examples, speakers will examine how partnerships across disciplines generate new modes of practice, new forms of impact, and more resilient creative ecosystems.

Speakers and Moderator*

Pull up a chair and join us for Kopi Klatch — an intimate, informal conversation with up to 10 fellow delegates, inspired by Singapore’s beloved kopi culture (kopi simply means coffee in Malay!).

Hosted by delegates from across Southeast Asia, each conversation offers a candid glimpse into their local arts landscapes, traditions, and evolving ecosystems. Expect thoughtful exchanges, fresh perspectives, and open conversations about shared experiences and emerging opportunities in the region.

Whether you are seeking new collaborators, deeper regional understanding, or simply meaningful dialogue over a cup of kopi, this is a welcoming space to connect, reflect, and spark new possibilities together.

What does it take to keep the arts alive, relevant and future-ready?

This panel brings together leaders from different backgrounds and generations to explore how diverse experiences and evolving values can shape resilient art organisations.

We discuss the exchange of wisdom and innovation, how to make space for new voices, and where collaboration across generations can steer leadership.

Speakers and Moderator*