Corporate event entertainment in Singapore works best when it is chosen for the format of the event, not picked from a list. A conference needs something different from a staff party, and a networking evening needs something different from an awards night. We look at your agenda, your guest count and the room, suggest a programme, book the acts and keep them on schedule, so the entertainment follows your event and not the other way round.
Price: a mid-size corporate event of 150 to 300 guests usually spends SGD 3,000 to 8,000 on entertainment, and a full production with a band, dancers, an emcee and a stage SGD 8,000 to 15,000 or more. AV and rentals are quoted separately. See event entertainment prices in Singapore.
Match the act to the format
Most wasted entertainment budget comes from booking the wrong act for the room, not from paying too much for a good one. A jazz trio at full volume in a 40 person boardroom dinner is wasted money. So is a solo guitarist trying to hold a 500 person town hall through a weak sound system.
- Networking evenings and cocktail receptions. Music people can talk over, such as a jazz trio, an acoustic duo or a saxophonist with a DJ, plus a roving act that breaks the ice between guests.
- Staff parties and year end events. A band or DJ for the dance floor, an emcee for games and the lucky draw, and one feature act to give the night a high point. For the annual company dinner, see dinner and dance entertainment.
- Conferences and town halls. A strong emcee first. A flat host loses the room by the second break. Short, self contained acts suit the breaks.
- Family days and team events. The crowd is moving, not seated, so roving magicians, balloon artists and activity corners work better than stage acts.
- Awards nights. See gala dinner entertainment for how acts fit around the awards.
Plan around the venue
The venue decides more than people expect. Hotel ballrooms have fixed load in times and sound curfews, often around 11pm to 11.30pm, which suit a live band, an emcee led programme and LED visuals. Sentosa and other outdoor spaces need a weather plan and sometimes generator power. Offices have low ceilings, few power points and neighbours on the next floor, so a magician, an acoustic set or a short emcee led segment works better than a full band. Function rooms with strict fire rules suit LED and visual acts rather than anything with a flame.
The costliest mistake is confirming a band, a DJ or an LED act before checking what time the venue cuts the sound and what power the room has. We ask for the venue's technical details in writing before we confirm the acts, and we plan the set lengths to finish before the curfew.
What the quote covers
A quote states the fee, the set length, the number of performers and whether sound is included. It usually covers the performance, basic sound for the act, costumes, setup and coordination on the day. Overtime, premium sound for a large room, special song requests that need rehearsal and travel to remote venues are quoted separately. If you also need an LED screen or extra lighting, ask for it in the same quote so one team plans the load in.
Timing
Book four to eight weeks ahead for a standard weekday event. For the last two weeks of the year and the month around Chinese New Year, book eight to twelve weeks ahead, because popular emcees, bands and troupes go first. Friday and Saturday evenings cost more than weekdays.
Send the date, the venue, the headcount and the agenda through the quote form or WhatsApp, and you get a suggested programme with a price within a working day.
