New Beginnings

To begin again is never easy. The closing of the big doors at 45 Armenian Street is still fairly recent. For some of us, it may still be sinking in. The loss is both personal and collective.

We begin again in a humble position. It may be a little crazy for us to try to revive The Substation during this pandemic without any assurances of funding, space, or other support. Beyond that, so much has changed in the world of art from the time The Substation was founded in 1990. From the availability of resources to the artistic creation, audience expectations and the larger context of the art world, everything is different today. In all of this, where does The Substation fit in?

We believe that The Substation is a purveyor of dreams and has a connective power within the Singapore arts community that incites a passion in all of us. The Substation is gentle but bold, determined yet patient, and has the ability to transform us in unexpected ways. It is not easy for us to be in such a vulnerable position and we could not begin this new chapter of our journey without the support of our community. For this we express our sincere gratitude.

The goal ahead of us is to have The Substation curate and support works of art from all disciplines through incubation and showcases. Our new form allows us to work in multiple spaces and initiate collaborations that are more unexpected and unusual. It allows more opportunities for creativity and experimentation for our artists, while deepening our connection to our community and audience.

Finally, this month we mark the 31st anniversary of The Substation with the new SeptFest. This marks our first steps forward while also retracing the steps of our founders in keeping to a shared hope for what the arts scene can be in Singapore and the region.

In the months ahead, we will be unveiling programmes that will define and refine the new version of us. We hope that you will join us on this journey, once again or for the very first time, so we can begin new conversations with you.

Yuni Hadi
Chairperson, The Substation