Minimalist or minimal: is the arts scene in Singapore plain boring?

According to Alan Oei, Artistic Director of the Substation, the local arts scene can be deemed boring without “a thriving ecosystem of independent artists” to support it. He continues, “institutions funded by the state are important, but the way resources are allocated is very short-sighted.” Despite the pool of talent here, theatre productions and film can be “risky and expensive venture(s), so it’s a struggle for many arts practitioners,” playwright Michael Chiang points out.

But funding isn’t the only issue the arts scene faces. Many are also quick to point out that Singapore’s lack of flexibility and level of censorship hinder creativity. Take a look at Blu Jaz Cafe’s revoked entertainment licence. Yes, safety is important, but surely a better compromise can be reached than an outright ban on live performances – especially when there are already so few places in the city to go for live music. This year’s Laneway Festival also saw international artists Billie Eilish and Loyle Carner disclose that they were banned from swearing, which hindered the delivery of their sets. Succinctly put by writer, poet and playwright, Alfian Sa’at, “if you want more creativity, then you have to relax censorship. Nobody dances on a minefield”.

But what more can be done to elevate the arts scene here, especially among the youth who are the country’s future. Angelita Teo, Festival Director of Singapore Night Festival, suggests that we ought to celebrate artistic excellence and “encourage our young talent with more arts-infused curriculum in schools and more exposure to the arts outside the classroom. We can offer budding artists more scholarships.”

There’s no doubt that there’s been an increased vibrancy in our arts scene as compared to 20, or even 10 years ago. That said, our arts landscape is still young and there’s always potential to grow. Take Singaporean musician, Ginette Chittick’s advice: “The scene is boring when you don’t dig enough. You have to take yourself out of your comfort zone and not expect the exciting to be convenient.”