Singapore’s New Art Scene: The Cultural And Artistic Activities To Try

Welcome to a new golden era of oddly specific hobbies. Want to make a book by hand? Have your most personal memories etched into a record? Or how about dressing like a 14th‑century elf at a fantasy‑inspired fair? These days, chances are that there’s someone else who’s just as into such activities as you are – and there are more avenues than ever here to find your people, fuelled by a craving for connection and a creative escape in a too‑fast digital world. Keng Yang Shuen reports on five niche crafts and communities making waves in Singapore’s thriving hobby scene.

CREATE ONE-OF-A-KIND RECORDS AT ART/ST RECORDS

WHO’S BEHIND IT: Charlyn Yap and Lee Sin Yee, both in their mid‑30s and formerly from advertising, decided to strike out on their own after Yap came across a TikTok video about Singapore’s legacy as a regional recording hub in the 1950s and ’60s. Intrigued, she dug deeper into this history and eventually discovered lathe‑cutting – an old‑school method of creating a record that involves cutting grooves directly into a blank disc. Unlike mainstream vinyl pressing, which uses a mould to produce identical copies, lathe‑cutting allows far greater flexibility with a record’s shape, size and design. Fascinated by the mix of music and physical craft, she realised that records could be more than just sound. Eventually, Yap quit her job to learn the art of lathe‑cutting (now a fairly esoteric practice) from a specialist in Tucson, Arizona, and purchased a lathe‑cutting machine to start Art/st (pronounced “artist”) Records. The home studio has been running in Katong since March this year.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Workshops are strictly for original recordings, not commercial tracks (due to copyright). Your recordings can be music you’ve made, personal conversations or collaborations with local artistes. The goal is to leave with something meaningful: a record that looks like you, sounds like you and holds a piece of your life. “At first, we thought we’d attract musicians, bedroom producers, hobbyists. But we quickly realised that we’re not really in the music business – we’re in the memory preservation business. Most people bring in recordings of voice notes, family conversations, or things like lullabies. One of the most touching recordings is of a mum putting her three‑year‑old to sleep. That same kid was recently in our studio designing the cover,” says Yap.

Each session is intimate – two people max – to ensure privacy, as the recordings have to be played aloud to check the sound quality. It usually starts with designing the cover art (led by Lee), often using paper marbling – where colourful inks are floated on water, swirled into patterns, then transferred onto paper for one‑of‑a‑kind designs. While the cover dries, participants enter the lathe‑cutting room to see how the record is cut in real time, a process led by Yap. Each record takes about 10 minutes to cut, during which attendees may even drop the needle themselves. At the end, the specialised 8‑inch, square record and its cover art are assembled, and you’ll leave with something that’s uniquely yours.

THE COSTS: $388 for two pax (the SG Culture Pass is valid here), with each workshop running between two‑and‑a‑half to three hours and all materials provided

TAKE PART IN A CAKE-FORWARD TEA PARTY AT SLICE, SLICE BABY

WHO’S BEHIND IT: Cake festival Slice, Slice Baby is the brainchild of Plus Santai – a company by events organisers Hans and Lia, both of whom requested to go by their first names only – and baker Fatin Suhaila of the home-based F&B business Bites & Crumbs. All are in their 30s. Inspired by the concept of cake picnics – where bakers bring cakes to share at giant outdoor gatherings – that went viral last year, the trio wondered: Why not bring that same joy to Singapore? Unlike the American version, Slice, Slice Baby is open to all (no need to bake to attend). “We do things a little differently – no stressing over attendees having to bring or buy a cake just to be able to show up. Instead, we wanted to shine a spotlight on local bakers, turning them into the stars of the day,” says Hans, who also has a background in F&B. The first edition took place in February this year with seven bakers and 90 attendees. Since then, Slice, Slice Baby has grown rapidly: The second instalment featured 17 bakers and 190 attendees, while the third and latest saw those numbers grow to 20 and 232 respectively.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Slice, Slice Baby is playful chaos meets sweet indulgence. Entry tickets cover getting either three or five slices, and attendees are let in by batches to preview the goods. The cake dash follows: Each group of attendees has five to seven minutes to snag their favourite creations. Expect a mix of bakers – from beginners in their mid-20s to seasoned pros – each designing delectable, Instagram-perfect confections according to the edition’s theme. The most recent staged last month paid homage to childhood snacks such as haw flakes and Ding Dangs, with bakers even encouraged to dress in 1990s denim. Beyond the jubilant jostle, there’s room to relax and enjoy live music, resulting in the organisers coining the term “Cakertainment” to describe the entire affair.

THE COSTS: Bakers shell out upwards of $150 to participate, while non-bakers get to join the fun armed with tickets priced at $33 or $53, which will get them three or five slices of cake respectively. Follow @plussantai on Instagram for updates on the next round, likely to be staged at the end of the year.

STEP INTO A REAL-LIFE FAIRY TALE AT REN FAIRE SG

WHO’S BEHIND IT: Billed as Singapore’s first Ren Faire (short for Renaissance fair – a big outdoor event that mixes medieval and Renaissance history with fantasy, performance and role‑play), the idea came from Caylee Chua, a recent Product Management and Digital Strategy graduate and an independent jewellery maker. The 24‑year‑old found herself doomscrolling TikTok videos of Ren Faires in the region. Unable to travel to them, she started wondering what it would take to create Singapore’s own version. A big fan of fantasy and isekai (a genre of anime where characters are transported to alternate worlds), she was drawn to the promise of escapism. She might be on to something – Netflix reported this July that global anime viewership on the platform has tripled over the past five years. Audiences are hungry for imaginative experiences and Ren Faire SG aims to deliver that in real life.

Despite warnings from older community members that there is “no market” here (due to high production costs and the challenge of tropical humidity), Chua is betting on Gen Z’s appetite for fantasy, role‑play and novel experiences. “There’s a loneliness epidemic and people are craving community. Immersive experiences like this make it easier to connect because when you step into the event, you know you’re surrounded by others who share your interests,” she says. “It’s simpler to strike up conversations, and if you’re shy, there’s still plenty to explore and enjoy.”

WHAT TO EXPECT: Ren Faire SG is a fantasy‑first experience, so even if you’ve never touched a sword or read about the Renaissance, you’ll be covered. Think less textbook history, more whimsical worldbuilding. Themed “The Origin”, the inaugural edition, set for Jan 31 and Feb 1 next year at Fort Canning Park, invites attendees to enter Xenaria, a fictional city throwing its own Renaissance bash. Expect a sprawling marketplace of more than 100 vendors, plus 30 performers, interactive programming from chainmaille workshops to Dungeons & Dragons tables, roaming actors, sword‑fighting demos, riddle quests, tarot readers, live music, crafts such as portrait painting and prop‑making, and more. The fair leans into fantasy rather than strict historical re‑enactment, creating space for full medieval garb, anime‑inspired cosplay and even picnic‑core layers. As Chua puts it: “It’s about art, adventure and good ol’ swashbucklin’ fun … I really hope attendees leave believing in fairy tales and fantasy again. Singapore doesn’t have to be boring and there are so many spaces to be creative.”

THE COSTS: Base tickets start at $8.80 (early‑bird price), with workshops and special activities priced separately. Marketplace goods – from crystal jars to custom illustrations – will mostly cost under $20, says Chua, making it easy to shop and support local makers. Bonus: Those who complete the on‑site stamp rally by buying from vendors will score exclusive Ren Faire SG merch.

LEARN HOW TO MAKE A BOOK BY HAND AT BASED BOOK ARTS

WHO’S BEHIND IT: Bookmaker Yang Shihui studied visual communication, but realised that actually making a publication – be it a book or a zine – wasn’t covered in school, where the curriculum leaned towards graphic design. Back in the late 2000s, bookmaking options in Singapore were limited: Most were simple customisations and typically machine‑operated. This led her to take up Book Arts and Design at the London College of Communication, where she learnt the full process of conceptualising and hand‑making a book. The craft of bookmaking treats books as a medium for artistic expression.

Unlike mass publishing, it focuses on the creative and structural possibilities of covers, stitching and formats as part of the art. “With big events like the Singapore Art Book Fair, people are exposed to different kinds of books – not just commercial ones. And even though the fair is popular, there’s still a sense of discovery. People walk around and realise, ‘Oh, wow, books can look like this too’,” says Yang. “There has definitely been a rise in interest. A lot of my participants are into stationery, journaling and self‑care. Bookmaking ties into that – it’s creative and meditative, and you leave with something personal and handmade. Most people grow up only seeing mass‑produced books. And when they discover handmade books or alternative binding styles, it’s intriguing enough that they want to try it themselves.”

WHAT TO EXPECT: Workshops are designed to strip bookbinding down to its essentials, so anyone can walk away with a handmade book. You’ll start with the basics, such as how to handle the tools and materials, before diving into the various binding techniques. Think coptic stitch binding, which leaves very chic‑looking exposed threads and results in books that lie flat when opened up; Japanese stab binding, a classic Japanese technique from the 14th century that binds single‑sided sheets with strong, visible stitching along the spine, allowing for creative designs with papers and coloured threads; and French link stitch, a 15th‑century European technique that braids sections together, combining strength with decorative flair. For those ready to level up, there’s leather‑bound journal making, which involves sewing directly into leather for an heirloom feel, and case binding – a method for creating hardcovers whereby pages are sewn or glued into a spine and encased in a sturdy cover.

THE COSTS: Prices range from $69 (for an introductory workshop to the comparatively simpler bookmaking technique of coptic binding) to $219 (case binding). Each session lasts two to five hours, with the SG Culture Pass valid here.

TURN GLASS INTO ART AT GURASU HOUSE

WHO’S BEHIND IT: Journalism‑graduate‑turned‑lampwork‑artist Tang Bi Feng first stumbled upon lampworking – the art of using flames to melt glass and then shape it into intricate items such as flowers – while scrolling on Chinese social media and e‑commerce platform Xiaohongshu, and was instantly hooked. “What starts as just sticks of glass can turn into beautiful masterpieces under the fire; anything you can imagine, you can make. The only limit is your mastery of the craft,” says the 24‑year‑old. Wanting to learn, she found only a limited handful of studios in Singapore offering lampworking workshops – glass art here remains relatively niche due to high set‑up costs and specialised equipment. So she flew to China, where the craft is popular, for a five‑day course before launching her own lampwork studio, Gurasu House, earlier this year at Kapo Factory.

When not creating, Tang is conducting workshops for those whose curiosity is piqued. In part thanks to social media, interest in lampworking here is growing, with her classes drawing everyone from Gen Zers to grandparents. “Perhaps one day, there’ll be a glasswork fair like the annual pottery fair, or lampworking could even enter fine arts curricula,” she says. Beyond the workshops, Tang is exploring glass as art. This July, she took part in Shorelines, a roving public art project led by artist Ang Song Nian that featured 60 Merlions across three CapitaLand malls as part of Singapore’s SG60 celebrations. For it, she reimagined the Merlion’s jet stream with six glass Vanda Miss Joaquim orchids, turning a familiar icon into something uniquely her own.

WHAT TO EXPECT: At Gurasu House, beginners dive straight into lampworking by crafting a glass flower with six to nine petals. Before class, participants select their preferred colours for the glass rods. Sessions start with an intro to the essential tools – torches, oxygen concentrators, tweezers, mashers, lampworking glasses and graphite plates – followed by a hands‑on demo. Participants will also first practise the movements without fire before shaping molten glass into petals and leaves, then fusing them to a stem.

THE COSTS: Each two‑hour session is currently priced at $128 (and yes, you can use the SG Culture Pass).

This article first appeared in Volume 3 of F ZINE.

PHOTOGRAPHY LAWRENCE TEO & ATHIRAH ANNISSA ART DIRECTION JONATHAN CHIA