Singapore’s indie cinema The Projector to close after a decade

Singapore’s independent cinema and arts venue, The Projector, will enter voluntary liquidation, ending over a decade of showcasing alternative films and community-focused programming.

The Projector will cease operations on 19 August 2025. 

The closure comes amid rising operational costs, changing audience habits, and a global decline in cinema attendance.

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"It breaks our hearts to make this decision," said Karen Tan, founder of The Projector. 

"We’ve fought to keep The Projector alive through every challenge — from breathing new life into a disused cinema at Golden Mile Tower, to weathering the pandemic, to expanding to new spaces. But the combination of rising costs, changing audience habits, and the worst consumer market conditions in a decade has left us with no viable path forward," she added. 

Since the company will be placed under liquidation, the theatre said it will not be able to issue refunds directly. "Instead, you may file a claim with the nominated liquidator," it explained. 

In addition, The Projector said it is deeply grateful to its patrons, members, partners, collaborators and friends who have supported it. 

“This hasn’t been the work of a single person or team, The Projector was also built and shaped in all its forms by our fans and collaborators, and we are incredibly proud of what we’ve created together – a home for the creatives, misfits and dreamers. The home of the alternative voice. The Projector may be closing, but we hope its spirit will live on in the conversations, ideas, and communities we’ve nurtured," Tan said. 

Since its launch in 2014, The Projector hosted award-winning independent films, festivals including the Singapore International Film Festival, European Film Festival, and Pink Screen, as well as events such as poetry slams, vintage markets, and charity fundraisers.

The closure comes less than a month after it announced plans to resume screenings at Golden Mile Tower in August.

At the time, the independent cinema said that it will "return to the place it all began" as the Golden Mile en bloc processed concluded without a transaction. 

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