Keppel extends partnership with Esplanade for Keppel Nights programme with $500,000 commitment

August 2023

Keppel’s Chairman, Mr Danny Teoh, and Keppel’s CEO, Mr Loh Chin Hua, together with students from Deyi Secondary School and the opening night of Mosaic by Joel Tan at the launch of the extension of the Keppel Nights programme. 

Keppel, through its philanthropic arm, Keppel Care Foundation, pledged $500,000 over the next three years to extend its partnership with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay to continue the highly popular Keppel Nights programme, which provides students with access to high-quality performances presented by Esplanade. This renewed partnership was unveiled today, with close to 30 students from Deyi Secondary School attending Mosaic, a play by Joel Tan, a Singaporean playwright based in London and Singapore, at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre at Esplanade under the renewed Keppel Nights programme.

First launched by Keppel in 2008 as a ticket subsidy programme, Keppel Nights was refreshed in 2013 to reach out specifically to students. Over the past 10 years, the programme has enabled more than 30,000 students from 75 schools in Singapore to attend quality performances at Esplanade, including more than 2,000 students in the first half of 2023.

The extended partnership will continue to provide students in Singapore with access to shows presented by Esplanade. Under Keppel Nights, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary-level students have enjoyed dance, music and theatre performances by Singapore and international artists at Esplanade. In recent months, as arts activities resumed in Singapore after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, students have enjoyed productions by acclaimed Singapore arts groups such as Orkestra Melayu Singapura, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Chinese Orchestra and The Necessary Stage, as well as by renowned international artists such as Godot Theatre Company (Taiwan), contemporary dance company Kidd Pivot (Canada) and The Philippine Madrigal Singers (The Philippines).

Mr Ho Tong Yen, CEO of Keppel Care Foundation, said, “Over the past decade, Keppel Nights has enabled more than 30,000 students in Singapore to experience high-quality performances at Esplanade. We are pleased to extend the partnership with Esplanade to nurture creativity and foster a deeper appreciation for the arts among Singapore students by introducing them to world-class performances and diverse art forms.”

Ms Yvonne Tham, CEO of The Esplanade Co Ltd, said, “The arts can broaden hearts, challenge minds and offer a window to the world, while providing a safe space for conversations on difficult topics. We believe at Esplanade that it is important for every young person in Singapore to have the opportunity to experience this transformative impact of the arts. We are grateful to have a partner like Keppel that shares this belief in developing our next generation.”

Ms Jasmine Low, a teacher at Hougang Secondary School, whose students were hosted to ART by Godot Theatre Company at the Esplanade Theatre in January 2023, said, “The students enjoyed themselves and shared that it is their first time watching such a performance in the venue and never knew that a drama performance would be this engaging in Mandarin!”

Rachel Ting, a student of Compassvale Secondary School who had watched Earl Grey Teh C – Gah Dai!, a concert by award-winning Singapore musicians Lorong Boys and world champion Hong Kong harmonicist Gordon Lee at the Esplanade Recital Studio in February 2023, said, “I hope to be able to attend more of these live performances! It's really interesting and fun to watch.”