Overview

Arts Entertainment includes plays, music-and dance performances, art exhibitions, variety shows and pop/rock concerts.

Types of Licences

Arts Entertainment Licence

Who is this for?

Unless exempted, all indoor or outdoor arts entertainment events conducted at a place accessible to the public require an Arts Entertainment Licence. Any organisation or individual may apply for an Arts Entertainment Licence. A person applying on behalf of his organisation should preferably be a member of the organisation’s management.

Exceptions

Some arts entertainment events/activities are exempted from arts licensing provided the organiser is able to meet certain conditions. For details on exempted categories of arts entertainment, please refer to the following:

1.   PEM (SPECIFIED ARTS ENTERTAINMENT) (EXEMPTION) ORDER 2005
For specified arts entertainment events/activities held outdoors, organisers are required to notify any police officer on duty at any Neighbourhood Police Post, Neighbourhood Police Centre or Police Land Division, of the performance at least 7 days before the event, using the online Notification Form C (you will need your Singpass and password) .

Alternatively you can click here to download the form which can be faxed or submitted in person to any of the Police posts, centres or land divisions.

2.   EXISTING EXEMPTED CATEGORIES UNDER THE PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENTS AND MEETINGS ACT (PEMA)

·         “Getais”

·         Certain events at hotels and shopping centres

·         “Lion” or “Dragon” dances

·         Constituency activities

·         Busking

Except for Busking, the above exempted public entertaiment/arts entertainment, applicants need to notify the Neighbourhood Police Post, Neighbourhood Police Centre or Police Land Division at least seven days before the event, using the relevant online Notification Form.

For Busking, a Letter of Endorsement from the National Arts Council is required. Please refer to the NAC Busking Scheme

3.   EXEMPTED ARTS ENTERTAINMENT WITHOUT CONDITIONS

No licence is required for the following arts entertainment activities:

·          any arts entertainment organised or sponsored by the Management Committee of the Kreta Ayer People's Theatre and held in that Theatre

·          any exhibition organised in the Electricity Efficiency Centre operated by Power Supply

·          any performance organised by the Esplanade in any place to which the public or any class of the public has access, with or without payment

·          any performance organised by The Old Parliament House (also known as The Arts House) in any place to which the public or any class of the public has access, with or without payment

·          the playing of live-band music provided at weddings held in HDB void decks or along the roadside in non-HDB areas (including those held in the compounds of private houses)

·          the playing of live-band music provided at funerals

·          any arts entertainment provided at any S-League football match

Fees

Plays, Music and Dance Performances, Variety Shows and Pop/Rock Concerts: $10 per day.

Art Exhibitions, Play-Reading, Poetry Recital, Puppet Shows and Tableax: $5 per day.

The licence is valid only on the dates of the performance/exhibition as specified in the licence.

How to Apply

MDA has drawn up the following guidelines to facilitate the application process for Arts Entertainment Licences. For proper assessment and classification of the event, applicants are advised to submit complete applications with all the necessary information.

To allow sufficient time for applications to be processed or advisories to be included in publicity materials and advertisements, submissions should be made at least two months before the date of the event. Late or incomplete submission of supporting documents may result in the delay of the issuance of the licence and may not guarantee that the application will be processed in time.

Click here for the Submission Guide for Arts Entertainment.

Please visit here for the Arts Entertainment Licence application.