Centre 42 is a theatre development space. We are committed to the creation, documentation and promotion of texts and writings for the Singapore stage.
We incubate original writing for production development; provide space for artists and new work creation; and develop a functional archive documenting the histories and processes of Singapore theatre.
We function as an independent intermediary amongst makers, enablers, and consumers; We strive to be a bridge to connect people: we help, and we support.
We believe that for a good idea to materialise, it is important to provide space – physical, creative, thinking and engagement. We are a space to house those ideas, a space to consolidate those ideas and a space to connect those ideas to create meaningful content.
Our name was inspired by Centre 65, a centre started by the late Goh Poh Seng, to promote the arts in 1965. Goh Poh Seng is considered as one of the pioneers of Singapore English Language Theatre. He wrote such canonical classics as The Moon Is Less Bright (1964), When Smiles Are Done (1965; subsequently retitled Room With Paper Flowers) and The Elder Brother (1966). We hope to embody the pioneering spirit of Centre 65 and forward the cause of promoting text-based works in Singapore.
Centre 42 is developed in collaboration with the National Arts Council (NAC), and officially opened in 2014. We are supported by the NAC for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023.