By Variety | Created at 2026-10-16 10:27:02 | Updated at 2026-10-16 11:15:48
2 hours ago
The Singapore Media Festival will add a dedicated creator economy event to its lineup this year, launching the Asia Creator Summit alongside the long-running Asia TV Forum & Market when its next edition takes place Dec. 1–5.
The festival is hosted by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). The new summit (ACS) and ATF will form the two main strands of this year’s event, which carries the theme “The Heart of the World’s Stories.”
“New technologies and audience behaviors are constantly reshaping how we consume, distribute, and monetize content today,” said Yvonne Tang, assistant chief executive of IMDA’s Media Industry Group. “Our latest SMF 2026 program is designed to help Singapore’s media professionals and companies adapt in this evolving media landscape, by strengthening their creative and commercial capabilities through wide ranging partnerships and business opportunities.”
ACS will run Dec. 4–5 at Marina Bay Sands under the banner “Create. Monetize. Scale.” The two-day program will feature more than 20 sessions, mixing keynotes, panels and master classes with practical sessions. They are aimed at turning creator output into lasting businesses and IP that can travel. Generation Experience (GenXP) curated the summit with Monica Khan, founder and CEO of Creator Revolution.
Speakers include South Korean creator Kimpro, who counts more than 130 million subscribers and a career total of 154 billion views. Japanese creator Issei, whose dialogue-free comedy has drawn audiences worldwide, has upward of 75 million YouTube subscribers. Also on the bill is AJ Eckstein, founder and CEO of U.S. company Creator Match, which has helped brands including Anthropic, Fiverr, Notion, Lovable and Zapier set up and grow their creator programs.
Singapore-based executives on the lineup include GRVTY Media CEO and co-founder Johnathan Chua, DU Media Holdings CEO Kelvin Tan and Gushcloud International group CEO and co-founder Althea Lim.
Creators will also get a shot at brand work. Mandarin Oriental, Singapore is running a Creator Pitch Challenge tied to its 40th anniversary, while Bloomr.SG’s “Creator Lab” will hand out up to SGD100,000 ($78,000) in awards for creator-focused ideas. Calls for proposals open in early November.
“Creators are playing an increasingly influential role in how audiences discover, engage and connect with content, brands and ideas,” said Michelle Lim, founder and CEO of GenXP. “We are excited to launch Asia Creator Summit as part of the Singapore Media Festival, creating a platform for creators and the wider industry to learn from one another, share experiences and shape what comes next.”
ATF, organized by RX Global, will return to Marina Bay Sands Dec. 1–4 for its 27th edition. Organizers expect more than 5,000 content players from Asia and further afield, representing 60 countries and regions.
“The Attention Economy” is the theme of the opening-day ATF Leaders’ Dialogue. Executives from East West Bank, Omdia, TikTok, Unilever, Webtoon Productions and YouTube will examine how fandom and shifting viewing habits are changing content distribution, financing and branded entertainment. They will also look at how companies can extract commercial value from audience engagement.
A new strand, “The AI Era | Entertainment Reimagined,” will combine a dedicated program with a zone focused on what AI means for content creation, IP rights and regulation, and on how creative work can be safeguarded. Huace Group, Moonmax and Studio Meta K will take part, as will the Motion Picture Association, the Television Academy and the World Intellectual Property Organization. ATF will also host the final round of AI Hackathon 2026, backed by Yoywow Space and Visify, which will include a live creative contest and screenings of chosen entries.
Canada and Indonesia will each bring a new pavilion to the market. Microdrama will be a bigger focus at this year’s edition, and ATF will keep its drama showcases running alongside accelerator and pitching programs that pair producers of new IP with development partners.
“ATF has evolved beyond a marketplace to become a premier industry platform for strategic commercial announcements, content launches, and thought leadership from some of the entertainment industry’s most influential voices,” said Yeow Hui Leng, managing director, Singapore, of RX Global. “Emerging technology, including AI, will be a key part of this conversation, alongside critical issues such as regulation, financing, distribution, monetization, and content innovation.”
