Youth hub *Scape refreshed with more space for classes and creation in music and arts

SINGAPORE — A refreshed *Scape as a hub for young people, with plenty of space for study and creation, and food for the body as well as soul, was officially relaunched on Nov 9 after several years of redevelopment.

Parts of it have been open since April, attracting more than 10,000 young people in 190 programmes in dance, music and the arts. Half of the programmes are run by the youth themselves.

The revamped space features studios that are open to the public, meeting rooms, and a revamped Ground Theatre for performances and content creation.

The theatre, an event space inside *Scape that opened in 2013, will be able to host 700 guests in a standing capacity, up from 450.

Around 80 per cent of tenants in the space are operational, like dessert shops, cafes and a wellness hub. The remaining tenants will be ready by early 2026.

Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo said young people in Singapore are driven by a strong sense of purpose, and eager to chart their own paths and redefine what it means to succeed.

"These are often paths that are less taken, and you also tell us that you want more safe spaces — both physical and metaphorical spaces — to try, to experiment, to fail fast and to bounce back stronger," he said, speaking to an audience of about 300 young people at the relaunch.

"We want to support you in what you do — so you can be bold, you can take the road less travelled, and you can chase your dreams," he added.

*Scape's refresh is a new chapter in the Government's commitment to support the youth in pursuing their dreams, he said.

The youth-centric hub, which was established in 2007, underwent redevelopment in the past few years as part of the rejuvenation of the Somerset Belt.

The rejuvenation was part of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and National Youth Council's plans to revitalise the area and create spaces for young people.

*Scape's relaunch was marked by a festival of music, dance and visual arts, involving 400 young people as volunteers and performers.

The refreshed space also houses a fund supporting local initiatives.

Grant for Good, which was launched in September, currently supports more than 50 youth-led projects with a grant of $1,000 each.

These projects range from urban sports to mental wellness workshops. One project is Calm Against Chaos, a card game that promotes emotional regulation.

*Scape assistant director for programmes Nurul Hussain told The Straits Times that young people can look forward to a plethora of events in 2026, including a collaborative band concert and an interdisciplinary art festival.

*Scape is also now home to a mentoring programme for aspiring musicians helmed by local artiste and founder of Warrior Productions Tim De Cotta.

The mentoring programme, which was started in July, currently has eight local artistes as mentees, and four mentors.

The mentorship covers topics like how to package content, market themselves, and build their artistic brand.

"*Scape has always been a space for youth to experiment. You come here and you try a new choreography, or you jam to a new audience in public, and then you never know, you might get seen or heard. It's like a space of incubation," De Cotta told ST.

The relaunched *Scape aims to reach at least 40,000 young people each year.

The relaunch event ended with Neo adding the finishing touches to a mural on *Scape's facade, which was done by 60 local visual artists.

The artwork was recognised by the Singapore Book of Records as the largest graffiti art on a building facade in Singapore.

Ivy Lim, executive director of *Scape, said: "We've seen what happens when young people are given the space to lead. They intuitively fill it with imagination, purpose and heart."

Speaking to the crowd of youth, she said: "My challenge to you is to dare to dream bigger, connect deeper, and make *Scape the launch pad for your ideas, stories and your adventures.

"This place is yours to own."

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.