The launch marks the first milestone of a digital transformation programme that aims to reshape how audiences discover performances, explore arts content, and engage with Esplanade online. 

Vertis was appointed to lead the project in September 2025 following a competitive public tender involving eight regional and international agencies.

Previously operating as separate websites, Esplanade.com and Offstage have now been consolidated into a single platform with a shared navigation system while maintaining distinct experiences. 

The live performance-focused Onstage experience adopts a light interface, while Offstage, which features editorial stories and archival content, uses a dark interface connected through a simple toggle.

The redesign also introduces curated landing pages, an enhanced events calendar, clearer content categories, a dedicated visitor information hub, and a scalable design system built to support Esplanade’s more than 4,000 annual programmes.

Beyond the front-end redesign, the platform was built on Sitecore XM Cloud with a headless architecture powered by Vercel, enabling isolated development, staging, and production environments. Vertis also implemented a defence-in-depth security model and completed extensive user acceptance testing with Esplanade’s teams before launch.

Birendra Balakrishnan, Co-Founder of Vertis, said the project extends beyond refreshing the website’s appearance.

“This is more than just a digital facelift — it’s about crafting a future-ready platform that reflects the soul of Esplanade while making the arts more accessible to all.”

Mathew Searcy, Executive Creative Director at Vertis, added that the agency focused on improving content discovery across Esplanade’s extensive programming and editorial archive.

“By connecting related Onstage events and Offstage articles, we’ve built a structure that makes it easier to browse, easier to discover, and easier to appreciate just how much Esplanade brings to Singapore.”

Meanwhile, Lee Kit Pui, Director of Marketing at The Esplanade Co Ltd, said the new platform supports the organisation’s ambition to build stronger relationships with audiences through more connected digital experiences.

“This launch is an important step towards creating a connected digital ecosystem that enables us to serve audiences better and strengthen Esplanade’s role as Singapore’s national performing arts centre.”

Looking ahead, Esplanade said future phases of its digital transformation will focus on enhancing customer relationship capabilities, developing a unified audience data platform, and delivering more personalised communications and content experiences through subsequent public tenders.

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