Expo AV Becomes Official AV Partner of IMBA Theatre at Gardens by the Bay
- Marc Chen
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
MOU signing formalises partnership at Singapore’s newest immersive arts destination
On 21 April 2026, Singapore welcomed IMBA Theatre, a landmark 80,000-square-foot venue at Gardens by the Bay dedicated to large-scale immersive storytelling and gallery exhibitions. The opening ceremony was officiated by David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, alongside industry leaders and representatives from IMBA and Gardens by the Bay. The venue marks a significant milestone in the nation’s cultural landscape, bringing together world-class art, cutting-edge technology, and experiential design under one roof.
Spanning a major gallery space, two purpose-built black box theatres equipped with advanced projection and sound systems, and a suite of lifestyle and retail experiences, IMBA Theatre is positioned as Singapore’s first permanent destination for immersive arts. The venue is operated by Hustle & Bustle Group, with Michael Lee (Founder & CEO of IMBA) and Adam Oei (Co-Founder) leading the vision to make art accessible and engaging for audiences of all ages.
Expo AV Signs MOU as Official AV Partner
As part of the grand opening evening programme, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Hustle & Bustle Group / IMBA and Expo AV, formalising Expo AV’s appointment as the official Audio-Visual partner of IMBA Theatre. The signing ceremony took place inside the Hybrid Theatre, setting the stage for a long-term technical partnership.
The partnership underscores Expo AV’s growing role as a trusted technical partner for Singapore’s most ambitious cultural and entertainment venues. As the official AV partner, Expo AV will provide integrated audio-visual solutions to support IMBA Theatre’s programme of immersive exhibitions, live performances, and experiential activations.
This collaboration represents a natural alignment of capabilities. IMBA Theatre’s vision requires the highest standard of technical delivery across projection, sound, and lighting systems that operate under live conditions. Expo AV’s two decades of experience in deploying integrated AV systems across Singapore’s key venues makes it an ideal partner to support this next chapter in immersive entertainment.
World-Class Exhibitions Launch the Venue
IMBA Theatre opened with two landmark exhibitions that set the tone for the venue’s artistic ambition.
Botero in Singapore is a world-first tri-format experience showcasing the legacy of Colombian master Fernando Botero. Nearly 130 original works, including sculptures, paintings, and drawings from his seven-decade career, are presented across three formats: Garden Grandeur (ten monumental sculptures in Silver Leaf Gardens, free to the public), Heart of Volume (118 original artworks from the family collection, Asia’s largest Botero gallery exhibition), and A Life in Fullness (a 40-minute immersive audiovisual experience narrated by the artist’s son, Fernando Botero Zea).
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not Smaller and Further Away) is the Southeast Asia premiere of this acclaimed Lightroom UK production, exploring six decades of British artist David Hockney’s work through large-scale projections stretching ten metres high across every surface, with an original score by composer Nico Muhly and narration by Hockney himself.
A Night of Celebration and Networking
The grand opening evening programme began at 6:00pm with a reception where guests were welcomed with canapés and drinks as they explored the venue. The atmosphere was buzzing with energy as industry leaders, media, artists, and partners gathered to celebrate the inaugural opening.
Guests were treated to the world premiere screening of Botero: A Life in Fullness, the 40-minute immersive audiovisual portrait, followed by VIP tours of the Botero exhibition. The celebration continued with a DJ set, free-flowing drinks, and open exploration of the venue’s various exhibition spaces and interactive zones, including the Prudential Experience Zone and the Botero interactive wall.
The evening wrapped up at 10:00pm, closing a milestone night that celebrated art, technology, and partnership. For Expo AV, the MOU signing marks an exciting new chapter, extending our portfolio of venue partnerships to include one of Southeast Asia’s most forward-thinking cultural destinations.
About Expo AV
Founded in 2006, Expo AV is a Singapore-based Creative Technology & Experience Platform. For nearly two decades, we have designed and delivered the infrastructure behind live experiences, where systems, storytelling, and environment come together to create emotion at scale. Working alongside Digital Kitchen Studios, Expo AV unites AVL, broadcast, content, and event technology into one coordinated platform.
The partnership with IMBA Theatre adds to Expo AV’s growing list of trusted venue partnerships across Singapore, reinforcing our position as a go-to technical partner for large-scale, high-impact cultural and entertainment experiences.
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