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Be a donor:
SAVE THE FRINGE FESTIVAL

We seek your help to sustain the Singapore Fringe Festival—a ground-up initiative that amplifies independent voices in the arts.

Since our inception, The Necessary Stage (TNS) has been dedicated to creating and presenting critically acclaimed theatre dealing with issues such as mental health, racial discrimination, and inequality.

In 2005, we launched the Singapore Fringe Festival, with M1 Ltd as our title donor, aimed at empowering independent artists to share thought-provoking performances. Over the last two decades, the festival has become a highlight of the Singapore cultural calendar each January. We have commissioned over 1,000 Singapore artists and arts groups, featuring their work alongside numerous international productions.

We have reached out to and captivated tens of thousands of audience members through ticketed and free events, fostering safe spaces for critical conversations about crucial societal issues. The Festival has also made great strides in its efforts to be one of the most inclusive and accessible arts events in the Singapore calendar, through the integration of open captions, Singapore Sign Language interpretations, audio description, and speech to text interpretation for its performances, as well as other accessibility features for information dissemination on its website and wayfinding to venues.

After the next Festival in January 2025, M1 will cease their funding. While we deeply appreciate M1’s support through the years, their withdrawal puts the future of the Singapore Fringe Festival in jeopardy. Its demise would see the end of a vital platform where independent creative voices can perform meaningful work addressing pressing topics of our time. More importantly, the festival has always placed young and emerging artists at its heart. If the festival is to come to a halt, these young creators will be most adversely impacted.

As such, the company will be launching a fundraising drive. The Fringe Festival Fund hopes to raise $50,000 from individuals, partners and supporters who are keen to keep the festival going in 2026 and beyond. The Necessary Stage is appealing to the public to step forward and support independent voices and socially engaged art.

In order for the Singapore Fringe Festival to continue to develop and present ground-breaking, stimulating and engaging works, The Necessary Stage as the festival's organiser and all the artists and personnel involved rely on your generous donations.

We are a not-for-profit organisation that depends on your generosity and belief in our work to make the Fringe a success. Donations are received during our fundraising events and donation drives, but are welcome all year round.

We believe that socially engaged art has the power to spark critical thinking and inspire positive change. We have consistently embraced this mission through the Singapore Fringe Festival, as well as our productions at The Necessary Stage. We invite you to be a part of our mission to cultivate a vibrant and dynamic Singaporean arts scene with a social conscience. One that fearlessly confronts the critical questions of our time and envisions a brighter, more inclusive, and compassionate future.

We need your help to keep alive the spirit of independent artists. Contribute to the Fringe Festival Fund. Only with your support can we continue to programme the festival in 2026 and beyond.

All donations will qualify for a 250% tax deduction and will also be eligible for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's dollar-for-dollar Cultural Matching Fund.