Singapore bets SG$40m on design as creative economy race heats up

Singapore is investing more than SG$40 million into its design sector over the next three years as it looks to sharpen its position as a global creative and cultural hub amid rising competition across the region.

Launched by the DesignSingapore Council, the “Design 2035” masterplan lays out a 10-year roadmap focused on strengthening Singapore’s design economy, growing international recognition for local creatives, and embedding design more deeply across business, technology and public life.

A key highlight of the roadmap is the launch of Singapore’s inaugural Design Biennale in May 2027, which will replace the annual Singapore Design Week. Running over six weeks, the biennale aims to scale up Singapore’s international cultural footprint through larger commissions, expanded district activations, and cross-border collaborations.

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The move comes as countries across Asia increasingly use design, culture and creativity as economic drivers and soft power tools to attract tourism, talent and investment.

According to the council, Singapore’s design sector contributed SG$2.7 billion in real value added to GDP in 2024, while a separate economic footprint study estimated the sector generated SG$13.8 billion across the wider economy.

The roadmap was developed following consultations with more than 6,000 members of the design community and public over the past year.

Under the plan, Singapore will focus on five key areas over the next decade: purposeful innovation, responsible resource use, caring communities, a culturally distinct city, and a vibrant design industry.

Artificial intelligence, climate change and Singapore’s rapidly ageing population were also identified as major areas where design can play a more strategic role.

“With national plans such as Singapore’s National AI Strategy and Smart Nation Singapore in place, local designers could be increasingly central in ensuring Singapore remains a trustworthy technology hub,” the council said in a release.

Among the new initiatives announced is the 'Good design research and development' programme, which aims to strengthen collaboration between businesses and designers through co-funded innovation projects.

Another initiative, the 'Good design placement' programme, will support mid-career designers entering strategic design roles within organisations in key growth sectors.

The council is also doubling down on internationalisation efforts through a new International Design Awards scheme aimed at helping Singapore designers gain global recognition and commercial opportunities.

Dawn Lim, executive director of DesignSingapore Council, said the roadmap was intended to strengthen Singapore design’s “relevance and global impact”.

“The future of Singapore design will ultimately be shaped by the choices we make as a community,” said Lim.

Separately, the council said it will launch a public activation titled “New everyday life by design” across 17 MRT stations from HarbourFront to Punggol Coast later this year to showcase the role of design in everyday life.

The roadmap builds on DesignSingapore Council’s broader push to position design as a national growth driver. Last year, the council launched “Nation by design”, a campaign developed with Kinetic Singapore that framed design not simply as aesthetics, but as a mindset shaping Singapore’s infrastructure, systems and future-readiness as the nation marked SG60.

The campaign also served as a lead-up to the "Design 2035" masterplan, while introducing initiatives such as “60 on 60”, featuring perspectives from Singaporeans across industries including Tan Su Shan, Professor Chua Beng Huat and Rebecca Ting. Separately, DesignSingapore Council also inked a three-year partnership with SBS Transit to explore more human-centric commuting experiences through multi-station activations and service design projects across Singapore’s rail network.

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