There has been growing cooperation in arts and culture since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the National Arts Council of the Philippines-Singapore Cultural Cooperation Programme in Aug 2001. The MOU aims to share the experiences of both countries in promoting and managing the arts and culture as well as to encourage the provision of training opportunities for artists, art administrators and art educators in all aspects of cultural and artistic development. It aims to do this through exchange visits, performances and joint programmes between cultural and educational institutions in the Philippines and Singapore.

From November 2004 to June 2005, "Crossings: Philippine Works from the Singapore Art Museum" was exhibited at the Ayala Museum. The popular exhibition was labelled as a homecoming of major artworks by some of the most prominent artistes from the Philippines. Masterpieces of famous painters such as Juan Luna, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Fabian de la Rosa and Vicente Manansala were featured. The exhibition commemorated the 5-year partnership agreement between the Ayala Museum and the Singapore National Heritage Board under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Ambassador-At-Large Tommy Koh and Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala.

The exchange of artistes and talents between the Philippines and Singapore continue to flourish. Prolific Filipino artists such as the late Pacita Abad and Benedicto Reyes Cabrera (popularly known as Bencab) visited Singapore under the Singapore Tyler Print Institute's Visiting Artists Programme. Pacita Abad left a deep impression on Singaporeans by painting the Alkaff Bridge with a myriad of colours. Lani Misalucha performed at a charity concert in Singapore in 2003 in aid of the Community Chest, an umbrella charity organisation. Singapore artistes have also been visiting the Philippines. They include Singapore’s pop sensation, Tanya Chua, who performed in Manila in support of the Philippines National Arts Month, and a top Singapore sculptor, Baet Yeok Kuan, who took part in a three-week long Artist Residency Programme at the University of the Philippines’ College of Fine Arts in 2003. Baet worked with the students and helped hone their skills in the art of sculpturing.