Yearly Theme 2025 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) – “Create”

At the beginning of the year 2025, I wrote about my Yearly Theme 2025 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage), I chose “Create”.

I wanted to create more stories with my interactions with other creative from other genres and industries. In 2025, through the different genres of wonderful programmes, exhibitions, and performances at SCCC, I have found myself getting deeper into some sectors of my Chinese history, heritage, culture, society and language, that I haven’t really go in-depth.

One of them was learning more about Chinese opera (and I still have a long way to go), fulfilling my local Nanyang kopi pilgrimage that I wanted to do years back (some would know what I am referring to!), watching contemporary Chinese dance and cultural performances that made me realised that there are so much more talent that deserves more coverage and recognition.

Although my stories and coverage of the various SCCC events that I attended in 2025 were more of visual storytelling, I hope that through my humble stories and photos, I have helped to create more awareness and publicity, especially for those organisations and programmes that need more publicity and awareness of the wonderful stuff they are doing for the history, heritage, culture and language sectors in Singapore. 

TGH Photography SCCC Events 2025 Wrapped 

Inspired by my Spotify “Your 2025 Wrapped), presenting my TGH Photography SCCC Events 2025 Wrapped, let’s go back in time for a recap of SCCC events that I attended/covered in 2025.

Recap of SCCC Events 2025

Festivals

1. SCCC CNYFF 2025 – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/photography/celebrate-chinese-new-year-2025-the-singapo%e4%ba%ba-way-in-cbd 
2. SCCC Cultural Extravaganza 2025 – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/arts/sccc-cultural-extravaganza-2025-returns-from-9-may-to-7-june 
3. Chinese Opera Festival 2025 – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/heritage/sccc-and-nac-collaborate-to-debut-chinese-opera-festival-2025 
4. SCCC Mid-Autumn Festival Family Fun (MAFF) 2025 – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/events/celebrate-mid-autumn-family-fun-2025-at-sccc-and-sco-on-4-5-october 
5. REMIX: SINGAPO人 Youth Takeover 2025 – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/photojournalism/remix-singapo%e4%ba%ba-youth-takeover-at-sccc-expect-the-unexpected 
6. SCCC Winter Solstice SG60 Community Celebration Event 2025 – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/heritage/sccc-winter-solstice-sg60-community-celebration-event-2025 

Exhibitions and Talks

1. The Nanyang Breakfast Club: Let’s Lim Kopi & Jiak Roti! – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/heritage/come-lim-kopi-and-jiak-roti-at-the-nanyang-breakfast-club 
2. City SingaPOP – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/photojournalism/see-how-city-singapop-in-a-very-colourful-artistic-different-light 
3. Healing Heritage: A Journey Through the Evolution of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Singapore – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/heritage/sccc-presents-healing-heritage-story-of-tcm-in-singapore 
4. Brewing Nostalgia: Kopitiams in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand Special Exhibition – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/heritage/a-special-exhibition-on-traditional-kopitiams-of-singapore-malaysia-and-thailand 
5. Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage Exhibition – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/heritage/special-exhibition-at-sccc-tradition-in-motion-singapores-lion-dance-heritage 
6. Chingay in Singapore and Malaysia Seminar
7. SG, You’ve Got Mail!
8. Built on Memory: Tracing Singapore’s CBD Through Time

Arts 

1. Intersections – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/arts/intersections-by-dance-ensemble-singapore-at-sccc-cultural-extravaganza-2025 
2. World Mental Health Day 2025: Currents of Care by Very Small Exhibition – https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/photojournalism/world-mental-health-day-2025 
3. Drum Feng EP1 – Xiangqi: The Battle of the Drums  

My Key Memorable Highlights from my SCCC 2025 Visual Storytelling Journeys 

Personally for me, this list of SCCC events below that I attended in 2025 were my key memorable highlights for me in my SCCC 2025 visual storytelling journeys.

Exhibitions and Talks

• The Nanyang Breakfast Club: Let’s Lim Kopi & Jiak Roti!
• Brewing Nostalgia: Kopitiams in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand Special Exhibition

The above two exhibitions fulfilled my local Nanyang kopi pilgrimage journey that I started around a decade back, wanting to know and explore more about local Nanyang kopi history, heritage and culture.

Celebrating Our Arts

• Intersections
• Drum Feng EP1 – Xiangqi: The Battle of the Drums

I wasn’t much into performing arts, whether they are traditional or contemporary. In 2025, I was introduced to more performing arts, from traditional to contemporary. There were two arts performances, Intersections and Drum Feng EP1 – Xiangqi: The Battle of the Drums, leaving deep impressions inside me.

From learning, understanding and appreciating traditional and contemporary arts performances, there’s also a inner connection with my creative and visual storytelling that opens up new perspectives and approaches inside me.

Celebrating Our Festivals 

• CNYFF 2025
• MAFF 2025
• SCCC Winter Solstice SG60 Community Celebration Event 2025

Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival are two major cultural events inside SCCC lineup, attracting visitors and participation. The SCCC Winter Solstice SG60 Community Celebration Event in 2025 was unique and fun, hope they can keep it going and make it an annual Winter Solstice event at SCCC!  

Sneak Preview of SCCC Events 2026

SCCC in Year 2025 organised a diverse and exciting lineup of different programmes, exhibitions, talks, festivals, and performances, setting a high standard and benchmark to follow up in the coming year 2026. 

For Year 2026, SCCC has an extensive, an even more diverse and exciting lineup, here’s a sneak preview of SCCC events 2026! I would not go into too much details on the listing below, stay curious, stay tuned, follow SCCC on their social media channels for more updates and information on the SCCC events 2026 lineup closer to the event dates!

Exhibitions and Talks

• Singapore TV: From Local to Global Special Exhibition (July 2026 to January 2027)
• Heroic Moves Travelling Exhibition (April to October 2026)
• Common Ground Artspace Exhibition (April 2026 to April 2027)
• Chinatowns of the World International Conference (17 and 18 October 2026)

Festivals – Celebrating Our Arts

• Children’s Festival 2026 (Title TBC) (19 to 21 June)
• Cultural Extravaganza 2026 (7 May to 7 June)
• REMIX 2026 (July)

Programmes – Celebrating Our Festivals

• Zhongyuan Festival (17 to 23 August)
• CNY Family FUN 2026 (30 January to 1 February)
• Mid-Autumn Family FUN 2026 (19 to 20 September)

Programmes – Celebrating Our Music

• Sing浪 Concert (31 October)
• TGIF Music Station (April to March 2027)
• SG:SW | Write The Songs Finale Concert (October)
• Happy Sing-Along (April to March 2027)
• Tuesday Report Documentary on Xinyao/Local Chinese Songs (March)

My TGH Photography SCCC Events 2025 Wrapped

The sleeping dragon of SCCC has now awakened, under the leadership, direction and creative vision of Mr Alvin Tan, who took over as the CEO of SCCC in June 2024. SCCC has risen tall and proud, setting an exemplary example, showcasing the foundation, stage and direction of preserving history, heritage, traditions, striking a balance in modern times together with internet and social media. They are creating new directions for the future with its good mix of balancing tradition and modern exhibitions, programmes, performances, relating to Chinese history, heritage, culture, society and language all under one roof. 

What lies ahead for my TGH Photography x SCCC visual storytelling in 2026? Photos from my collection from attending those events at SCCC are gradually uploaded into this Flickr collection “Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre”. 

I hope to tell much deeper and more heartwarming stories from my interactions and connections, at the events, exhibitions, talks, and maybe special theme projects if the opportunity arises. 

Thank you Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre for an amazing, fun and great visual storytelling journey in 2025, inside my TGH Photography SCCC Events 2025 Wrapped!

The post My SCCC Events 2025 Wrapped and Sneak Preview of SCCC Events 2026 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Chinese Opera Festival 2025

Chinese Opera Festival 2025 will take over five weekends from 21st June to 26th July 2025, featuring five local Chinese opera troupes, each performing on a select Saturday in a different dialect. 

These are the following active Chinese opera troupes, dedicated to keeping Singapore’s local Chinese landscape alive.

Chinese Opera Studio (Teochew) – The Mistake of Justice Bao

Date: 21st June

Time: 7pm

https://www.facebook.com/chineseoperastudiogroup/ 

Chinese Opera Ensemble (Hainanese) – The Peacocks Flying Southeast

Date: 5th July 

Time: 7pm

https://www.facebook.com/coe0217/ 

OperaWorks (Singapore) (Cantonese) – The Betrothal Sword of Love

Date: 12th July

Time: 7pm

• https://operaworkssingapore.org/
• https://www.facebook.com/OperaWorks.Singapore/ 
• https://www.instagram.com/operaworks.singapore/ 
• https://www.youtube.com/c/OperaWorksSingapore 

Tian Yun Beijing Opera Society (Peking) – Mei Yu Pei

Date: 19th July

Time: 7pm

• https://www.tianyun.sg/ 
• https://www.facebook.com/tianyunsg 
• https://www.instagram.com/tianyun_sg/ 

Tang Renaissance (Yue) – Marshal Lim Bo Seng

Date: 26th July

Time: 7pm

• https://www.tangrenaissance.org/ 
• https://www.facebook.com/tangrenaissance 
• https://www.instagram.com/tangrenaissance 
• https://www.youtube.com/@tangrenaissance440 

A significant collaboration between SCCC and NAC that brings quality performances to more audiences from all walks of life to celebrate the diversity and rich cultural heritage of Chinese opera in Singapore. Chinese Opera Festival 2025 is a gathering of five distinct opera traditions on a single stage, presents an exciting opportunity for more people to watch their performances, experience Chinese Opera, and to appreciate the importance of rich cultural heritage and to preserve it. 

At the same time, Chinese Opera Festival also helps to promote and provide vital support for local Chinese opera groups to develop their capabilities, embark on artistic growth, and cultivate a paying audience. There will be bilingual sub-titles provided for all performances, ensuring accessibility for all audiences. 

According to Mr Alvin Tan, Chief Executive of SCCC, “Through the festival, we hope to support local Chinese opera groups by providing a safe creative space for them to showcase their works and capabilities without having to worry about venue rental, funding, ticket sales, marketing etc. In doing so, we hope to safeguard and showcase a traditional artform which is rich in Chinese history and culture; attract new and hopefully younger audiences; and contribute to its long-term sustainability.” 

Low Eng Teong, Chief Executive Officer of NAC, said, “The traditional arts are a vital part of Singapore’s arts landscape as they reflect, shape and strengthen our cultural identity. NAC is proud to partner with the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre on the inaugural Chinese Opera Festival. Through this initiative, audiences from all walks of life can come together to discover, connect with the arts and experience the richness and heritage of Chinese Opera in Singapore.” 

Chinese Opera Festival 2025 Fringe Activities 

There are a series of carefully curated Chinese Opera Festival 2025 fringe activities that will accompany the performances at SCCC, in line with the goal of expanding arts touch points for audience participation and engagement. 

These include interactive Chinese opera movement workshops designed for participants of all ages, and insightful practitioner talks featuring respected artists. Participants can expect to hear from experienced Chinese opera artists including Cultural Medallion recipient Joanna Wong and Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award and Young Artist Award recipient Cai Bixia.

The Art in Every Gesture: Discovering Movement in Chinese Opera

• Dates: 5th & 19th July
• Time: 4pm to 5pm
• Venue: SCCC Recital Studio, Level 6

Behind the Painted Faces: Voices of Chinese Opera Today

• Dates: 21st June (Su Zhang Kai) | 12th July (Cai Bixia) | 26th July (Joanna Wong)
• Time: 4pm to 5pm
• Venue: SCCC Recital Studio, Level 6

Chinese Opera Roving Exhibition

• Dates: 4th June to 26th July
• Time: 9am to 10m
• Venue: SCCC, Level 7 Foyer

Troupe leader of OperaWorks (Singapore), Ms Winsome Chan, said: “It is our honour to collaborate with SCCC and NAC, and to participate in this year’s Chinese Opera Festival. We hope that our audience would enjoy our performance of Cantonese opera The Betrothal Sword of Love, and we also hope to reach out to and attract new audiences to the festival.” 

Vice-President and Artistic Director of Tian Yun Beijing Opera Society, Ms Lim Mei Lian, added: “Being the inaugural Chinese Opera Festival in Singapore, we hope that the initiative does not stop here but will continue to stay true to its objectives and forge ahead with perseverance.” 

Personal Thoughts and Views from a documentary visual storyteller  

At the media preview, we got to know more about Chinese Opera Festival 2025 objectives from Mr Alvin Tan, CEO SCCC opening remarks. We also got to view snippets of the Chinese opera troupes performing at the upcoming Chinese Opera Festival 2025. 

This was an enriching cultural heritage experience for me, a sector that I didn’t manage to cover as much over my years of documenting and photographing history, heritage, culture and conservation sectors in Singapore. 

Through this inaugural Chinese Opera Festival 2025, I hope that I can do more, learn, experience, and appreciate this rich Chinese cultural heritage, and where I can play my small part for this sector, as a documentary visual storyteller in history, heritage, culture and conservation sectors.

Chinese Opera Festival 2025 Information (Ticketing Prices and Promotions)

Chinese Opera Festival 2025

• Dates: 21st June to 26th July 2025
• Venue: SCCC Auditorium, Level 9
• Standard Ticket Price: $30 (available on SISTIC)

Chinese Opera Festival 2025 tickers are available on SISTIC at $30 with a special five-show bundle at $120. Early bird discount of 30% off tickets at $21 are available from 4th till 10th June 2025.

To register for onsite fringe activities, please visit SISTIC. 

For more information on Chinese Opera Festival 2025, please visit Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) website: https://singaporeccc.org.sg/ 

The post SCCC and NAC Collaborate to Debut Chinese Opera Festival 2025 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

This first NHB community gallery at Kreta Ayer Community Centre showcase the rich history of Chinatown and Kreta Ayer areas, where the early Chinese immigrants first settled down, bringing with them Chinese opera troupes, art and music that formed part of the community in the Kreta Ayer and Chinatown areas.

Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery was officially opened to the public on 14^th July 2019, I had the opportunity to visit and had a preview of NHB first community gallery. Upon entering into the community gallery, although it’s not a big gallery space as compared to the big museums out there, they are packed with rich intangible cultural heritage on display inside there, from photographs, objects and personal collections of intangible cultural heritage practitioners.

What is intangible cultural heritage (ICH) all about?

Intangible cultural heritage is defined as cultural practices and living traditions, reflecting cultural diversity, cultural expression, providing a sense of belonging to the communities. Before you start touring Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery, I strongly encourage you to read on “What is intangible cultural heritage?” on the display panel inside before you enter into the gallery grounds.

For more details and explaination, you can also visit UNESCO website on ICH and read up more about ICH.

What are the rich intangible cultural heritage that you can discover inside Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery?

Chinese Opera

Chinese opera used to be a very popular form of local live entertainment for the Chinese community in Singapore. How many of us know that there are Cantonese opera, Teochew opera and Hokkien opera? Do you know that Singapore used to be a thriving place for Chinese opera between the late 1800s and 1930s?

Take a walk down this memory lane of Chinese opera, learn more about this performing art form that the forefathers of Singapore enjoyed that much during its heydays.

Chinese Puppetry

With the rise of Chinese opera, came along Chinese puppetry. While this traditional performing art may not grab the headlines like their fellow counterpart, the Chinese opera, they also have a place in our intangible cultural heritage of Singapore.

Have a go at the Chinese puppetry stage, go behind it and try out a Chinese puppetry performance!

Nanyin music

An ancient musical art form, with its roots from China, that spread over to Southeast Asia and beyond. Nanyin, music of the south, this ancient musical art form is best to experience them for yourself by attending their musical performance.

Have a go at some of the musical instruments on display there!

Chinese painting and calligraphy

The art of Chinese calligraphy played an important role in the early days of Singapore’s history for the Chinese community. The calligraphers were the key people to help the Chinese workers at that time to write down letters to be sent back to their family back in China.

Tea drinking and appreciation

A cosy corner, ideal for tea drinking and appreciation. For those who love Chinese tea, this is the place for you, to learn more about the history, beginnings of Chinese tea industry in Singapore and how it had evolved over the decades.

This would also be the place for future tea drinking and appreciation sessions! Keep a lookout!

The Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery doesn’t have a big floor space as compared to the museums that you have visited in Singapore. That doesn’t make them less significant or otherwise. This gallery brings heritage, history, culture, conservation and preservation, closer into the local community with opportunities to connect local performing arts troupes and the community on a regular basis. Some of the artefacts on display were personal effects of local artistes and performing troupes, priceless and invaluable. They are on loan for display at the Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery, a real eye opener, filled with many stories and memories.

This is also an interactive heritage gallery, whereby visitors can try and get a hands on with such as Chinese puppetry, traditional Chinese musical instruments and calligraphy writing. More photographs of the Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery can be viewed here in my Flickr photo album!

Do keep a lookout for updates on Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery calendar of events and activities that you can sign up and participate in! I highly encourage you to visit Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery, explore this community heritage gallery and connect with the rich intangible cultural heritage, from perfoming artists, artefacts and memorabilia, present inside this heritage gallery!

I would like to thank National Heritage Board for the invitation to visit Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery for a preview visit.

Information on Kerta Ayer Heritage Gallery

Location: Kreta Ayer Community Club

Address: 28 Kreta Ayer Road Singapore 088995

Opening hours: 12pm to 8pm daily, closed on Mondays and public holidays.

Admission: Free

Hashtags

#kretaayerheritagegallery #KAHG #ichsg #KAgallery

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